Crash of a Boeing 737-229C in Charleroi

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1978 at 1807 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OO-SDH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Charleroi - Charleroi
MSN:
20914/396
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
6983
Aircraft flight cycles:
7424
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a local training flight at Charleroi-Gosselies Airport and was carrying a crew of three (one instructor and two student pilots) who just landed from Brussels. Both students were going to practice ILS approaches to runway 25 at Charleroi-Gosselies Airport (CRL) followed by a touch-and-go. The initial six approaches were uneventful. The students then changed seats. The second student's first approach and touch-and-go were uneventful. During the second touch-and-go a flock of birds (ring doves) were observed crossing the runway. Several birds were ingested as the airplane was rotating. The instructor took over control and attempted to continue takeoff. The airplane failed to respond to his control inputs and seemed to decelerate. He then decided to abort the takeoff. There was insufficient runway length available so the Boeing overran, struck localiser antennas and skidded. It lost its undercarriage and came to rest in flames on a road located about 320 meters past the runway end. All three occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident was the interruption of the takeoff maneuver at the time of the impact of birds, followed by a stop for undetermined reasons. The deceleration due to braking prevented the aircraft to respond to the action of the pilot-instructor using the ailerons. The takeoff was interrupted while the remaining runway length was insufficient to stop the aircraft.

Crash of a Cessna 207 Skywagon in Spa

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1976
Registration:
OO-SPW
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
207-0211
YOM:
1972
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. No casualties.

Crash of a Max Holste M.H.1521C Broussard in Kooigem

Date & Time: Oct 28, 1972
Registration:
F-BEHE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
07C
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Kooigem while completing a local skydiving mission. The aircraft was destroyed and there were no casualties.

Crash of a Vickers 951 Vanguard in Aarsele: 63 killed

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1971 at 1110 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-APEC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
London - Salzburg
MSN:
706
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
BE706
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
55
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
63
Captain / Total flying hours:
9260
Captain / Total hours on type:
1927.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3386
Copilot / Total hours on type:
764
Aircraft flight hours:
21683
Aircraft flight cycles:
17261
Circumstances:
En route from London-Heathrow to Salzburg at an altitude 19,000 feet, the rear pressure bulkhead ruptured. An explosive decompression of the fuselage occurred, causing serious interior damage and severe distortion of upper tailplane skin attachments. The tail surfaces subsequently detached, causing the airplane to enter a steep dive. The Vanguard spiraled down out of control and crashed in a field next to a highway. During the investigation corrosion was found in the lower part of the rear pressure bulkhead underneath plating that was bonded to the structure. The bond was completely delaminated in this area and the bulkhead material literally eaten away. Fluid contamination, perhaps from the lavatory, was thought to have been the root cause for the corrosion.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the rupture of the rear pressure bulkhead, which led to the separation both tailplanes in flight and caused the aircraft to dive into the ground.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-80 Queen Air at Bertrix Jehonville AFB

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OO-CHG
MSN:
LD-10
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances at Bertrix Jehonville Airbase. The occupant's fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 680 in Moorsele

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1970
Registration:
OO-MOL
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
680-516-186
YOM:
1958
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Kortrijk-Wevelgem Airport, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in Moorsele, about 4 km northwest of the airport. The occupant's fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Cessna 401 in Snaaskerke

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-IFLI
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
401-0033
YOM:
1967
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Ostend Airport, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. The twin engine aircraft came to rest in a field located in Snaaskerke, about 4 km southeast of the airfield. The pilot was injured and the airplane was written off.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.114 Heron 1B in Ruddervoorde

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1969 at 1642 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TN-ABA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Charleroi – London-Gatwick
MSN:
14034
YOM:
1953
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8530
Captain / Total hours on type:
0.00
Aircraft flight hours:
16723
Circumstances:
The airplane arrived in Charleroi on January 24 and was parked there since. In June, a ferry permit was issued and on July 11, it was decided to ferry the airplane from Charleroi to London-Gatwick Airport. The pilot departed Charleroi-Gosselies Airport at 1551LT. At 1634LT, while at cruising altitude, the engine n°4 suffered vibrations and the pilot decided to shut it down. Three minutes later, the engine n°3 emitted smoke then caught fire. The pilot was able to shut it down but for unknown reason could not feather its propeller. He reduced his altitude and attempted to make an emergency landing when the airplane struck trees and crash landed in a potatoes field. The pilot was unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. The pilot's total flying hours was 8,530 with zero experience on this type of aircraft.
Probable cause:
Failure of two engines in flight due to the non-observation of the procedure published by the manufacturer regarding the engine start-up following a long standstill period.

Crash of a Vickers 804 Viscount in Jeuk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1965 at 1508 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SP-LVA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lille – Wrocław
MSN:
249
YOM:
1957
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
9816
Captain / Total hours on type:
1564.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
11623
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1815
Aircraft flight hours:
14087
Circumstances:
The flight was a non-scheduled international IFR flight from Lille, France to Wroclaw, Poland. The aircraft took off from Lille at 1240 hours GMT and was cleared to climb to FL 160 on a heading to "Silly". At 1242 hours the pilot contacted Brussels ACC and reported he was at 3 000 ft still climbing and estimating "Silly" at 1249 hours. At 1253 hours he reported over "Silly" at FL 120, and was cleared to climb and maintain FL 130. At 1254 hours the pilot called Brussels and reported he was at FL 130 and estimating "Gatta" at 1300 hours. Five minutes later he reported over "Silly" at FL 130 and estimating "Olno" at 1310 hours. As this was the second time the pilot mentioned "Silly" the radar controller checked his position and confirmed that the aircraft was in fact over "Gatta". At 1300 hours the radar controller directed his attention to Caravelle F-BJTQ which, after passing "Gatta" at 1256 hours on airway "Green One", was cleared to make a right turn on Luxembourg but requested permission to make a detour to avoid an area of intense storm activity. At 1311 hours Brussels ACC has no news of the Viscount which by then should have reported reaching "Olno". Attempts to make radio contact with the aircraft were unsuccessful, and no echo appeared on the radar scope in the vicinity of "Olno". No distress signal was recorded. While in cruising flight the aircraft had entered an area of bad weather, lost altitude and disintegrated in flight before crashing to the ground at 1308 hours GMT. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
No evidence was found to explain why the aircraft left its cruising level. The overall atmospheric conditions in the vicinity of Jeuk and the circumstances of the accident were such that it was assumed that the pilot lost control of the aircraft when entering a cumulonimbus. It is possible - and even highly probable - that turbulence was a determining factor in the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford at Chièvres AFB

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1962
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
OO-DEC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lourdes – Antwerp
MSN:
2487
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The hydraulic system failed en route from Lourdes to Antwerp. The crew received the permission to divert to Chièvres AFB for an emergency landing. After touchdown, the brakes were inoperative. The aircraft veered off runway and eventually collided with a ground vehicle before coming to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the hydraulic systems.