Crash of a Convair C-131D Samaritan in Munich: 53 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1960 at 1410 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-0291
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Munich – Northolt
MSN:
212
YOM:
1955
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
53
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a special flight from Munich to RAF Northolt, near London, carrying British students who were flying back home for Christmas and a crew of seven. One minute after takeoff from Munich-Riem Airport, while climbing to an altitude of 1,000 meters, the crew informed ground about the failure of the left engine and obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing. Few seconds later, the copilot informed ground that he was unable to control the loss of altitude. In a limited visibility due to fog (800 meters horizontal and 40 meters vertical), the airplane struck the top of the St Paul church with its left wing and crashed in a huge explosion in the center of a commercial district of Munich. The airplane exploded while hitting a tramway, several cars and people and debris were scattered in the street and several shops as well. All 20 occupants on board the aircraft were killed as well as 33 people on the ground, essentially people sitting in the tramway. Nine other people were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Its is believed that the failure of the left engine was caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The fuel line, the fuel tank and the fuel pump were contaminated with water,
- Due to low temperature and icing conditions, the carburetor performances were reduced,
- The crew encountered engine difficulties prior to takeoff but apparently decided to continue the procedure.

Crash of a Douglas C-53D-DO Skytrooper near Grindelwald

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1946 at 1445 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-68846
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Vienna – Munich – Strasbourg – Dijon – Istres – Pisa
MSN:
11773
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After passing Innsbruck and the Austrian Alps, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and lost his orientation. The aircraft continued over Switzerland, avoid several peaks and eventually encountered katabatic winds. At a speed of 280 km/h, the aircraft lost height and crashed on the Gauli Glacier located about 10 km east of the Grindelwald winter station, at an altitude of 3,350 meters. One hour after the accident, the crew (who thought he crashed in the French Alps), sent a message that was received by ATC in Paris-Orly Airport and Istres-Le Tubé Airbase as well. French authorities made some calculation and deduced that the aircraft has crashed in the Swiss Alps and informed the Swiss authorities. Two days later, an officer based in the control tower of the Meiringen airbase located about 12 km north of the crash site received a message on his frequency as well and gave the alert. Skiers, helped with the crew of a RAF Lancaster and a USAAF B-29 were able to located the wreckage five days later. Suffering injuries due to their stay in negative temperatures, all 11 occupants were evacuated to local hospitals.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-15-DK near Puyloubier: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1946
Operator:
Registration:
42-92879
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Istres – Munich
MSN:
12729
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Pic des Mouches (1,011 meters high) located in the Sainte-Victoire Mountain Range, near Puyloubier. The wreckage was found about 24 km east of Aix-en-Provence and all five crew members were killed.
Source:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19460202-3
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Focke-Wulf Fw.200KB-1 Condor in Piesenkofen: 25 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1945 at 2205 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-ASHH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Berlin – Munich – Barcelona
MSN:
0009
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft named 'Hessen' departed Berlin-Tempelhof Airport at 2025LT bound for Barcelona with an intermediate stop in Munich. At 2150LT, the captain informed Munich he was overflying Straubing and initiated the descent. About ten minutes later, due to poor weather conditions (clouds, thunderstorm activity and turbulences), the captain radioed that he was continuing directly to Barcelona. Five minutes later, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located 500 metres north of Piesenkofen. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 25 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The engine number one caught fire and exploded in flight, causing the aircraft to be out of control.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-35-DL Flying Fortress in Féternes

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1944 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-107153
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thurleigh - Thurleigh
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Thurleigh in the evening of July 15 on a bombing mission over Munich. The aircraft was probably hit by enemy fire while on its target and the crew was able to continue over Switzerland. At the end of the night, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing in Féternes, near Évian-les-Bains. The aircraft christened 'Denny Boy' crash landed and was damaged beyond repair. All nine crew members were evacuated to Switzerland.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m on Mt Spitzmauer: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Wiener Neustadt – Munich
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On a flight from Wiener Neustadt to Munich, the crew encountered foggy conditions when the three engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Spitzmauer, in the Austrian Alps. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.75C in Winklern: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-TUON
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Munich – Rome
MSN:
32017
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While cruising in bad weather conditions, the aircraft impacte the slope of a mountain shrouded in clouds and located near Winklern. A crew member was seriously injured while four other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain. It it believed that the aircraft drifted off course due to strong winds, and the crew was unable to the faulty heading due to poor visibility.

Crash of an Udet U12a Flamingo in Munich: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1932
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-1296
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
357
YOM:
1928
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training mission over Munich. In flight, in unknown circumstances, the single engine aircraft collided with a Deutsche Lufthansa Junkers JU.52/3mce registered D-2201 and named 'Oswald Boelke'. While the JU.52 was able to land safely in Munich, was repaired and returned later into service, the crew of the Udet was forced to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a field. A crew member was killed and the second one was injured.

Crash of a Fokker-Grulich F3 in Heroldsbach: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1928 at 1345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-180
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Erfurt – Munich
MSN:
1531
YOM:
1921
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route from Erfurt to Munich, the single engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Heroldsbach, Bavaria. The aircraft named 'Main' was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Mr. Zander, pilot.
Passengers:
Mr. Weider,
Mr. Haur.

Crash of a Fokker-Grulich F3 in Genkingen

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1927
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-447
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Munich – Stuttgart
MSN:
1553
YOM:
1924
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Munich to Stuttgart, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a pasture located in Genkingen. Three occupants were injured, the pilot escaped unhurt and the aircraft named 'Ems' was damaged beyond repair.