Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mte near Gabrene: 14 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
D-AUXZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Sofia – Thessaloniki – Athens
MSN:
7172
YOM:
1941
Location:
Gabrene
Blagoevgrad
Country:
Bulgaria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Aircraft flight hours:
259
Circumstances:
En route from Sofia to Thessaloniki, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain (1,800 metres high) located south of Gabrene. The wreckage was found near the border with Greece. The airplane named 'Otto von Beaulieu-Marconay' was destroyed and all 14 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Arpad von Pindter, pilot,
Augustin Holz, copilot,
Friedrich Viktor Barthold, radio operator,
Karl-August von Struensee, cabin crew.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-115D on Mt Mozgovishki Chukar: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1937 at 1150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
SP-ASJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Lydda - Athens – Thessaloniki – Sofia – Warsaw
MSN:
1318
YOM:
1934
Location:
Mt Mozgovishki Chukar
Blagoevgrad
Country:
Bulgaria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Lydda on a flight to Warsaw with intermediate stops in Athens, Thessaloniki and Sofia, carrying three passengers and three crew members. The airplane departed Thessaloniki Airport at 1115LT bound for Sofia. At 1146LT, the radio operator informed ground about his position at an altitude of 3,000 metres and reported poor weather conditions. A last message was recorded four minutes later then communications ceased. As the airplane failed to arrive in Sofia, SAR operations were initiated and more than 2,000 people took part in the operations. The wreckage was found four days later on the south slope of Mt Mozgovishki Chukar, at an altitude of 2,600 metres, some 40 km northeast of Petritch. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and all six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Tadeusz Dmoszynski, pilot,
Marian Vinnik, radio operator,
Rishard Valentukevich, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Junkers W.33f in Tanagra

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Junkers W.33
Operator:
Registration:
D-2018
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Berlin – Thessaloniki – Athens
MSN:
2584
YOM:
1931
Location:
Tanagra
Central Greece / Στερεά Ελλάδα
Country:
Greece
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Berlin on a mail flight to Athens with an intermediate stop in Thessaloniki. On the leg to Athens, the crew lost his orientation due to foggy conditions and was unable to localize the airport of Dekelia-Tatoi near Athens. So, he decided to return to Thessaloniki when, at night, the aircraft crash landed in a pasture near Tanagra. Both occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Breguet 19 in Thessaloniki: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 20, 1927
Type of aircraft:
Breguet 19
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Thessaloniki - Tatoi
Location:
Thessaloniki
Thessaly / Θεσσαλία
Country:
Greece
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While taking off from Thessaloniki, bound for Tatoi AFB in Athens, the aircraft veered off runway and went out of control. The crew saw a parked aircraft and to avoid any collision, lifted off too early. Due to an insufficient speed, the aircraft stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. Both crew members were killed.

Crash of a Breguet 14 on Mt Olympus: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1918
Type of aircraft:
Breguet 14
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Thessaloniki - Athens
Location:
Mt Olympus
Thessaly / Θεσσαλία
Country:
Greece
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Thessaloniki on a flight to Athens (Faliron). En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the aircraft crashed on the slope of Mt Olympus. The wreckage was found several days later. Owned by Cdr Denain from the French Armée de l'Air, the aircraft was lend to Cpt Aristidis Moraitinis of the Greek Marine who was killed in the accident.
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