Crash of a Learjet 23 in Innsbruck: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1972 at 1306 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HB-VAM
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
London - Innsbruck
MSN:
23-044
YOM:
1965
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While approaching Innsbruck-Kranebitten Airport in limited visibility, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck trees and crashed on a mountain located few km from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680 in Innsbruck: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1970 at 1043 LT
Operator:
Registration:
OE-FAV
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Munich - Innsbruck
MSN:
680-1611-117
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
VRV002
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total flying hours:
2015
Captain / Total hours on type:
57.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2206
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2
Aircraft flight hours:
3025
Circumstances:
On final approach to Innsbruck-Kranebitten Airport, the airplane banked right, stalled and crashed into the Inn River, about 350 meters short of runway 08 threshold. The airplane was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed. Control was lost just when the crew was cleared to land on runway 08.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control occurred when the right engine failed on final approach due to fuel exhaustion. Investigations revealed that the crew failed to prepare the flight properly and failed to embark sufficient fuel for the requested trip. The lack of experience on this type of aircraft was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK in Linz

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1968 at 1700 LT
Operator:
Registration:
YU-ABK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Munich - Zagreb
MSN:
16529/33277
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising between Munich and Zagreb on a cargo flight, the crew informed ATC about the failure of the left engine and was cleared to divert to Linz-Hörsching Airport for an emergency landing. The captain realized he could not make so he decided to attempt an emergency landing in a prairie. The airplane belly landed in a snow covered field and slid for several yards before coming to rest. All four crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine in flight.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver in Wiener Neustadt

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
3B-GD
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wiener Neustadt - Wiener Neustadt
MSN:
1420
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Two minutes after takeoff from Wiener Neustadt Airport, while climbing to a height of 60 meters, the engine failed. The pilot elected to make an emergency landing and led the airplane descending until it struck two concrete walls, lost its both wings and crashed in a field. All six occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver in Waldegg-Peisching: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1965 at 1503 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
3B-GE
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wiener Neustadt - Wiener Neustadt
MSN:
1424
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew left Wiener Neustadt Airport for a local training mission with four skydivers on board. The airplane was in a formation with three other similar aircraft. Three minutes after takeoff, while climbing, the single aircraft went out of control and crashed in a prairie located 14 km northwest of the airfield. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and all six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Wilfling Franz, pilot,
Farkas Franz, pilot.
Passengers:
Paky Leopold,
Leeb Gerd,
Parzer Werner,
Hofer Harald.

Crash of a Bristol 175 Britannia 312 on Mt Glungezer: 83 killed

Date & Time: Feb 29, 1964 at 1414 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AOVO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
London-Heathrow – Innsbruck
MSN:
13423
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
EG802
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
75
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
83
Captain / Total flying hours:
10290
Captain / Total hours on type:
3320.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
14073
Copilot / Total hours on type:
303
Aircraft flight hours:
13633
Circumstances:
British Eagle Flight 802 departed London-Heathrow Airport at 12:04 GMT with destination Innsbruck, Austria. At 13:35 the flight contacted Munich ATC and reported over the Kempten NDB nine minutes later, changing its IFR flight plan to VFR from Kempten to Innsbruck. Two minutes later the crew contacted Innsbruck and reported descending VMC directly to Seefeld. Over the Innsbruck VOR at FL110, the airplane was still unable to break the clouds. The last message from the flight was at 14:12 when it reported at FL100. The descent was continued until the airplane collided with the steep eastern flank of the Glungezer Mountain at an altitude of 2601 m (8500 ft). An avalanche occurred, carrying most of the aircraft debris downhill for about 400 m. All 83 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The primary cause was the erroneous decision of the pilot-in-command to descend, below the stipulated minimum safe altitude in the weather conditions prevailing at the time, as a result of which he was unable to conduct the flight in accordance with visual flight rules.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver in Langenlebarn: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 28, 1963 at 1141 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
3B-GA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Langenlebarn - Langenlebarn
MSN:
1405
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The pilot was performing a training mission in the vicinity of the Langenlebarn Airport with five passengers on board. Following an uneventful flight of forty minutes, he started the descent to return to his base. On final approach, the single engine aircraft stalled and crashed short of runway threshold and was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Schambeck Josef, pilot
Passengers:
Dr. Rienzner Fritz,
Heininger Herwig,
Dolezal Alfred,
Gröhsl Johann,
Vragovic Günther.

Crash of a Lockheed L-749A Constellation in Vienna

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1958 at 2159 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-BAZX
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – Munich – Vienna
MSN:
2527
YOM:
1947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Munich, the crew started an ILS approach to Vienna-Schwechat runway 30. On final, the captain made a visual circuit when ground contact was apparently lost, causing the airplane to lose height. On short final, the Constellation crash landed in a field 2,2 km short of runway 30 threshold and came to rest. All 34 occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It is possible to establish that there was no question of a technical malfunction, and that the flight crew lost sight of the ground in the base leg turn, at which time the aircraft adopted an abnormal attitude for this manoeuvre which led to the crash. Presumably the accident could have been avoided through immediate discontinuation of the approach procedure (immediate changeover to climb - heading for radio beacon OEW) following loss of visibility.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LearStar I in Krumpendorf: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1957 at 1958 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-COCA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Stuttgart – Klagenfurt
MSN:
2606
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was on his way to Klagenfurt with a load of flowers for the celebration of the Velden fest. On approach to Klagenfurt-Annabichl Airport, the twin engine aircraft lost its left wing, dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area located in Krumpendorf, about 10 km west of runway 29 threshold. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to the breaking off of the left wing between the engine and the fuselage as a result of overstrain on the assembly, and fuel ignition followed. A stress failure was assumed after examination of the left wing fracture. This assumption was supported by the laboratory examination report of the Vienna Technische Hochschule. The summary of the report given by the Technical Testing and Research Laboratory of the Vienna Technische Hochschule indicates the fol- lowing: "The Aviation Authority submitted two pieces of the wing spar originating from the crashed aircraft D-COCA. The pieces were U-shaped pressed profiles of light metal. The fracture surfaces of the profiles and the neighbouring areas showed large, permanent distortions which pre - ceded the fracture. The fracture, a bending failure, resulted from a single static and jolting overstress. Examinations showed that the fracture surfaces do not reveal any traces of a vibration failure.. ." Since the fuselage and the right wing had been completely demolished, only the control linkage of the left wing could be tested. A limited operation of the aileron was still possible despite the partial distortion of the wing through impact. The left half of the elevator was broken at the attachment flange of the torsion rod. About 60% of the skin on the left half of the stabilizer was torn off on one side, probably due to interior pressure (rivet extraction) and showed traces of burns and soot on the side as well as on the outside.
Final Report:

Crash of a Convair CV-340-58 in Vienna: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1955 at 1540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YU-ADC
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Cairo – Athens – Belgrade – Vienna – Frankfurt – London
MSN:
178
YOM:
1955
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The flight departed Belgrade Airport in clear weather at approximately 1230 hours Greenwich Mean Time en route to Vienna carrying 25 passengers and a crew of 4. At 1425 hours the aircraft was transferred by area control to Vienna approach control. The pilot was advised to use the homer for approach and a QDM of 100° was given at 1429 hours. At 1430 the aircraft reported over radio beacon OEW and was instructed to remain 150 meters (500 feet) above the cloud top. A QDM of 123° was obtained at this time. At 1431 the aircraft was cleared to descend to 1,060 meters (3,500 feet) and instructed to report again at this altitude over beacon OEW. The flight was cleared then for an instrument approach, the pilot was given the QNH setting for his altimeter and instructed to use Runway 12. Bearings were taken and QDM's reported to the pilot, the last being: "1439 hours: QDM 140°. As requested, this one was repeated. However, it was not acknowledged by the pilot. Shortly after, the aircraft, while flying In the direction of the airport, with landing gear down and flaps at the approach angle, gave full throttle for a moment, pulled up and crashed at 1440 hours into the northwest slope of the Kahlenberg, facing up- hill. Fire broke out following impact and the aircraft was completely destroyed. The pilot and five passengers were killed and one passenger received fatal injuries. The other occupants of the aircraft received injuries of varying degrees and seven passengers required no medical attention whatsoever.
Probable cause:
The aircraft flew for a longer period on the outbound track and descended below the prescribed minimum altitude laid down at the time by the airline for operations into Schwechat aerodrome.
Final Report: