Stuttgart-Echterdingen

Schedule:

Burgas - Stuttgart

MSN:

BB-93

YOM:

1976

Location:

Burgas

Country:

Bulgaria

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane was engaged in an ambulance flight from Burgas to Stuttgart on behalf of the German Air Rescue Service (Deutsche Rettungsflugwacht - DRF), carrying one German patient aged 63, three medical staff and two pilots. During initial climb, the crew contacted ATC and reported technical problems with the automatic pilot system. Shortly later, control was lost and the airplane crashed in an open field. The airplane was totally destroyed upon impact and all six occupants were killed. The exact cause of the autopilot system failure remains unknown. Nevertheless, it was reported that both pilots were intoxicated at the time of the accident, with an alcohol level of 0,48‰ et 0,37‰ respectively.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A in Leipzig: 27 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1975 at 0800 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-134

Operator:

Registration:

DM-SCD

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Swearingen SA26T Merlin II

Schedule:

Stuttgart - Leipzig

MSN:

9 35 07 02

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach to Leipzig-Halle Airport was completed in marginal weather conditions. On short final, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when, at a height of 3 meters, the airplane struck the localizer antenna. The left engine and a part of the left wing were torn off. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames 300 meters short of runway threshold. Three crew members and four passengers were injured while 27 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the flight crew to follow the approved procedures while descending into marginal weather conditions below the MDA. The crew failed to follow the approach checklist and did not check the decision height, causing the aircraft to descend below the minimum descent altitude. A lack of ATC assistance was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Swearingen SA26AT Merlin IIB in Stuttgart: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1973 at 0915 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Lanser

Registration:

D-ILSE

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

T26-163E

YOM:

1969

Location:

Stuttgart-Echterdingen

Baden-Württemberg

Country:

Germany

Region:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew started the approach to Stuttgart-Echterdingen in poor weather conditions. The visibility was very limited due to snow falls. On final, the twin engine airplane was too low, struck the ground and crashed in flames in an open field located few km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The crew descended below the MDA in IMC conditions.

Crash of a Beechcraft 65 Queen Air B80 off Nice

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1970 at 0010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 80 Queen Air

Operator:

Luftfahrt-Service

Registration:

D-ILGA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Nice - Stuttgart

MSN:

LD-115

YOM:

1963

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport, while climbing by night, the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea some 300 meters offshore. All eight occupants were rescued while the aircraft was lost.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando in Stuttgart

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

LX-LAA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Stuttgart - Stuttgart

MSN:

22422

YOM:

1945

Location:

Stuttgart-Echterdingen

Baden-Württemberg

Country:

Germany

Region:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a local training flight at Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport. On touchdown, the left main gear collapsed. The airplane went out of control, veered off runway to the left and came to rest in flames. Both pilots were able to evacuate without injuries while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left main gear on touchdown.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Edelweiler: 20 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1955 at 1420 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

53-3222

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Dreux - Stuttgart

MSN:

11238

YOM:

1953

Flight number:

Chalk 8

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

A group of nine Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar left Dreux, Eure-et-Loir, on a flight to Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport in southwest Germany under flight code 'Chalk'. Enroute, the pilot of C-119 registered 53-3222 (Chalk 8) called the leader and informed the rest of the formation he lost his left engine and elected to land asap. While trying to leave the formation, 53-3222 made a turn to the left when the top of its empennage hit the base of the cockpit of C-119 registered 53-7841 (Chalk 9). Both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area and a field located near Edelweiler. Both aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 66 crew members on both aircraft were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine in flight. It was also determined that the collision was due to the wrong position of 53-7841 because his crew failed to respect the assigned altitude in the formation. In conclusion, the board finds that the primary cause of the accident was pilot error. It is the opinion of the board that if the left wingman (aircraft 53-7841) had held his proper position instead of dropping down and out, the accident would not have occurred. It was established that just prior to the accident, aircraft 7841 had overrun his element leader. Evidence was found that the right wingman (aircraft 53-3222) was in process of losing his left engine and was given instructions to leave the formation. He was in the process of leaving the formation by descending and turning to the left according to normal procedures when the collision occurred. After considering all the available evidence, the board feels that the accident would not have happened if engine malfunction had not occurred, causing the right wingman to break formation. The board found evidence of supervisory error in that the pilot responsible for the accident had not had proper crew rest and his copilot’s experience was extremely low.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Edelweiler: 46 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1955 at 1420 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Registration:

53-7841

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Dreux - Stuttgart

MSN:

11258

YOM:

1953

Flight number:

Chalk 9

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Probable cause:

Crash of a Dornier DO.17P in Stuttgart: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.17

Operator:

Registration:

7A+??

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Stuttgart - Stuttgart

Location:

Stuttgart-Echterdingen

Baden-Württemberg

Country:

Germany

Region: