Rotterdam

While in cruising level over Germany on a positioning flight from Rotterdam to Thessaloniki, the right engine failed and its propeller feathered automatically. The crew informed ATC and started a descent in an order to divert to the nearest airport. While descending, the power was restored on the right engine but it failed again. Once the altitude of 6,000 feet was reached on descent, the left engine failed as well. The crew reduced his altitude and completed a belly landing in an open field located near Niedernberg. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew was completing a positioning flight from Rotterdam to Eindhoven. On approach to Eindhoven Airport, the visibility was poor due to fog when the aircraft struck tree tops 5,6 km short of runway. On impact, the elevators were torn off. The aircraft then struck other trees and crashed on a embankment located near Best, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed.

During the preflight briefing, about 44 minutes prior to takeoff, the crew was informed about the presence of a low pressure area south of Rotterdam with thunderstorm activity and turbulences. At 1704LT, the airplane took off from Rotterdam Airport and climbed to the south according to departure routes. At 1709LT, the crew noticed heavy rainfall and thunderstorms on the weather radar and was cleared to change heading to avoid this area. Three minutes later, the airplane entered a zone of heavy altitude downdrafts and updrafts with severe turbulences, which resulted in loads on the airframe increasing to +6.8 G and -3,2 G. These excessive G loads compromised the structural integrity of the aircraft and especially the right wing from which a large portion separated. From an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane entered a dive and disintegrated while crashing on a highway crossing near Moerdijk. All 17 occupants were killed.

The aircraft was one of a number of aircraft of this type used for the carriage of company employees and goods for Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbH. A twice-weekly charter service was operated from Germany to Warton Aerodrome in the United Kingdom or, alternatively, to Blackpool civil airport. D-CASY left Munich on the morning of 29 June 1972 and landed at 09:04 hrs at Blackpool, as Customs facilities were not available at that time at Warton. During the day the aircraft remained on the ground at Blackpool and for most of the time the captain and co-pilot were with it. At 15:20 hrs six of the eight passengers to be carried on the return trip to Germany arrived at Blackpool Airport and, as it was raining, sat in the aircraft, the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) of which was running. Two more passengers were expected. A flight plan was prepared for Munich via Rotterdam and filed at 15:30 hrs. The two passengers did not turn up at the appointed time and the APU was shut down while the passengers and crew waited in the aircraft. About 16:30 hrs word was received that the two extra passengers were not coming. This meant that extra fuel could be accommodated and a new flight plan direct to Munich could be prepared. It was filed by the first officer, while the captain carried out the pre-flight check. The captain then started the APU and sat in the left hand seat with the first officer in the right hand seat and, according to the passenger who survived the accident, indicated that the first officer should operate the aircraft in command under supervision. The aircraft taxied out and lined up and the surviving passenger saw the right hand wing slat extended when the first officer applied power with the brakes 'on' at the start of the take-off. The port side wing slat and the flaps were outside this passenger's field of view. During the take-off run the aircraft reached its normal rotation speed in the usual distance. However, although the aircraft was travelling fast enough, rotation did not take place and it did not become airborne. The surviving passenger saw the first officer's hand holding the throttles fully open and wondered why the aircraft did not take-off. Then he saw a gesture from the captain indicating that the take-off should be abandoned. The first officer immediately closed the throttles. Observers on the aerodrome heard the engine noise die down approximately 300 metres from the end of the runway. Subsequently brake marks were found commencing in the same area. Braking was not effective, however, and the aircraft left the end of the runway at high speed, in a level attitude with its nose wheel and main wheels in contact with the ground. Shortly before the first impact the surviving passenger noticed the captain's hand on the controls and saw aileron movement. The first collision occurred when the starboard wing tip struck and severed a post supporting one of the airfield runway approach lights. The aircraft continued, colliding with and badly distorting the double track railway lines at the edge of the airfield. The nose wheel of the landing gear was broken off by this impact and some structural damage was done to the underside of the fuselage. Almost immediately beyond the railway lines the aircraft broke through a wall and collided with a row of single storey masonry chalets in the adjacent holiday camp, demolishing six of them and setting them on fire. The wings were broken off during this impact, spilling fuel over the area, but the main part of the aircraft continued its progress, sustaining further structural damage as it did so. The forward part of the fuselage, including the flight deck, was twisted to starboard and progressively destroyed. The final impact brought the aircraft to rest against a second row of chalets which were also badly damaged. The wreckage caught fire and was destroyed. The crew of two and five of the six passengers on board were killed. The sixth passenger, although thrown clear, was seriously injured.

The crew completed the landing procedure on a wet runway 06 at a too high speed. After touchdown, the captain started the braking procedure but thought he was encountering aquaplaning situation when control was lost. The airplane veered to the right and went down an embankment before coming to rest, broken in several pieces. All 83 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.

The Dakota crashed for unknown reasons while taking off from Oslo-Fornebu Airport. Eight occupants were injured while ten others were unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The crew was completing a visual approach to Rotterdam-Zestienhoven Airport in conditions of snow (visibility 1460 m). During the final approach the landing gear struck a 6 feet high dyke located 800 feet short of the runway threshold. The plane bounced and struck the ground heavily 200 feet further on. The right was sheared off and the aircraft crashed upside down in a snow covered field. The captain was killed and the copilot was seriously injured. Two other crew members were injured while all 14 passengers were unhurt.

While approaching the British coast on a flight from Rotterdam to Southend, the crew was informed by ATC that a landing at Southend was impossible due to foggy conditions and was rerouted to Lydd Airport. On final, the crew was forced to make a go around because he was unable to locate the runway. Few minutes later, a second attempt to land at Lydd was also abandoned. While flying vertical to the Dungeness beaches, both engines failed. The crew reduced his altitude and completed an emergency landing. The airplane slid for dozen yards before coming to rest. All seven occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The airplane departed RAF Finningley at 1955LT on September 10. Approaching Rotterdam, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the harbor of Rotterdam. All five crew members became PoW.
Crew:
F/O G. W. Walenn,
F/Lt T. L. Walker,
Sgt P. A. Edwards,
Sgt S. C. Stevens,
Sgt W. A. Pratt.

The airplane departed RAF Watton at 1445LT on an operation to Rotterdam. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the harbor of Rotterdam. A crew was killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Raymond Jervis Somerfield, †
F/Lt William Beckingham,
F/Lt William Logie MacDonald.