Bulgaria | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On a flight over the Stara Planina mountain range when deviated from the prescribed flight path. Got caught by a strong downstream and crashed into Mt Paskal. Six of the seven crew were killed and the sole survivor was seriously injured.

Probable cause:

Caught by strong downdraft.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24H-25-DT Liberator in Pleven: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1944 at 1214 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

42-51157

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

San Punersio - Giurgiu

MSN:

679

YOM:

1943

Location:

Pleven

Country:

Bulgaria

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

While cruising over the north of Bulgaria in good weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control and dove into the ground. The crew was performing a flight from San Punersio to Giurgiu. All ten occupants were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator near Novo Bardo

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

41-11840

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

336

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft christened 'The Witch' was engaged in the 'Tidal Wave' operation consisting on an air raid over the oil refineries of Ploiești. En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed near Novo Bardo, at the border between Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. All 10 crew members evacuated safely. Six were taken PoW and four evaded. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Crew from the 343th BS.

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:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Sofia – Thessaloniki – Athens

MSN:

7172

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Total fatalities:

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:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Lydda - Athens – Thessaloniki – Sofia – Warsaw

MSN:

1318

YOM:

1934

Location:

Mt Mozgovishki Chukar

Blagoevgrad

Country:

Bulgaria

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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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 Fokker F7b/3m in Mokren: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1931 at 1830 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F7

Operator:

Registration:

F-ALGT

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Istanbul – Bucharest – Budapest – Paris

MSN:

YOM:

1931

Location:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Istanbul at 1600LT bound for Bucharest. While cruising over the region of Mokren, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and atmospheric turbulences. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a wooded area located in Kurudjevo, bursting into flames. All seven occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. Both crew members were French and among the passengers were three British and two Americans.
The wreckage was recovered to rebuilt the same aircraft with the same MSN. This second aircraft also registered F-ALGT crashed in Romania on 15 September 1931. Rebuilt a second time with other wings and MSN 24, it crashed a third time in Vienna on 23 November 1935.
Crew:
Louis Bonnetête, pilot,
Mr. This, radio operator.
Passengers:
Rutgers Barclay,
Pauline Kest,
Mr. Crush,
Mr. Repton +1.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth in Teteven

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1930

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Operator:

Prince Jean Ghica

Registration:

CV-TUR

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bicester - Istanbul

MSN:

1269

YOM:

1930

Location:

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Circumstances:

The pilot/owner Prince Jean Ghica was attempting a non stop flight from Bicester, Oxfordshire, to Istanbul. While flying over the Region of Teteven, he was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the pilot was slightly injured.

Crash of a Bristol 88 Tourer in Gaytaninovo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1928

Type of aircraft:

Bristol Tourer

Operator:

Bulgarian Post Office

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The crew departed Sofia on a postal service to south of Bulgaria. En route, the airplane went out of control and crashed in hilly terrain near Gaytaninovo. Both occupants were killed.