Region
Europe

Crash of an Aero C.3A in Hradec Králové: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Aero C-3A
Operator:
Registration:
AK-4
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Hradec Králové - Hradec Králové
MSN:
384
Location:
Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové Region (Královéhradecký kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew (two pilots, one radio operator and one instructor) were engaged in a local training sortie at Hradec Králové Airport. While cruising at an altitude of about 200 meters, the left engine failed. The crew elected to return for an emergency landing when completing a last turn to the right, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located in Rusek, east of the Airfield. The radio operator was seriously injured while three other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine caused by a malfunction of the spark plugs.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Prague: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1954 at 1355 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
OK-WDS
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Prague – Ostrava
MSN:
11854
YOM:
1943
Location:
Prague-Ruzyne
Prague (Hlavní mesto Praha)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
After a takeoff roll of 900 meters on runway 22, the pilot-in-command initiated the rotation. While climbing to a height of about 50 feet in a horizontal visibility of about 100 meters, the crew sighted the chimney and the pilot made a sharp turn to the left to avoid a collision. Doing so, the airplane hit a telephone pole and telegraphic cables, stalled and crashed in flames in a snow covered field located about one km south of the airfield. All four crew members and nine passengers were killed while five other passengers were rescued. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
Jan House, pilot,
Jiří Levý, copilot,
Milroslav Kalenda, radio operator,
Milroslav Häusler, flight engineer.
Probable cause:
No mechanical failure was reported on the airplane prior to the accident. At that time, the cloud base was about 200 meters above ground with a horizontal visibility of 100 meters in snow falls. The takeoff roll was completed on runway 22 that was covered with a layer of 5 to 10 cm of wet snow. The accident was the consequence of poor flying techniques on part of the pilot-in-command during initial climb.

Crash of an Aero C.3B in Hradčany AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Aero C-3A
Operator:
Registration:
TH-18
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Hradčany - Hradčany
MSN:
403
Location:
Hradčany AFB
Liberec Region (Liberecký kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Hradčany AFB following a night bombing exercise. On final, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances few km from the airfield. Two crew members were killed while the third occupant was injured.

Crash of an Aero C.3A in Šumperk

Date & Time: May 12, 1953 at 1040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Aero C-3A
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
MSN:
390
Location:
Šumperk
Olomouc Region (Olomoucký kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While performing a training mission, the crew encountered control problems, bailed out and abandoned the aircraft at 0925LT over Skuteč. The twin engine aircraft continued to fly and turn around for more than an hour before crashing in a garden at 1040LT and was destroyed.
Crew:
Milan Alušic,
František Izák,
Rudolf Verner.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the control issue was not determined. The crew was not blamed.

Crash of an Aero C.3A in Hradec Králové

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Aero C-3A
Operator:
Registration:
AK-2
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Hradec Králové - Hradec Králové
Location:
Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové Region (Královéhradecký kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1300
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 27, the aircraft reached the speed of 140-150 km/h when the pilot started the rotation. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of about 30 feet, the aircraft turned slightly to the right and it is believed that the right engine lost power. The pilot-in-command made a turn to the left, raised the flaps and nosed down to gain speed that increased up to 200 km/h when the aircraft hit the ground and eventually crashed in a field. While all three crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Lt Ernest Trabatický 2.
Probable cause:
No technical anomalies were found on the aircraft and the cause of the accident was attributed to a pilot error.

Crash of an Aero C.3A in Hradčany: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1953 at 2210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Aero C-3A
Operator:
Registration:
TH-14
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Hradčany - Hradčany
MSN:
322
Location:
Hradčany AFB
Liberec Region (Liberecký kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew left Hradčany AFB at 2147LT for a local training flight with two other Aero C.3. While flying at an altitude of 1,000 meters, the right engine lost power. The captain activated the fuel pump when a fire erupted. He descended to the altitude of 400 meters when both other crew members bailed out. Sole on board, the pilot tried to land on runway 09 but on final approach, the aircraft hit trees and crashed in flames in a field short of runway 09 threshold. The pilot was killed and the aircraft was destroyed by fire. Both other crew members were unhurt.
Crew:
Maj Jan Kopečný, †
Cpt Miroslav Kořínek,
Lt Miroslav Hladník.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the day prior to the accident, the aircraft was grounded for maintenance purposes (50 hours overhaul). While conducting the maintenance of the right engine, the mechanic was fired. Investigations revealed that the other technicians in charge of the maintenance failed to check what was done by the mechanic and the airplane was released without any double check. It appears that several equipment such as fuel pump and piston were not properly fixed.

Crash of an Aero C.3AF in Sušice: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Aero C-3A
Operator:
Registration:
SU-29
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
613
Location:
Sušice
Pardubice Region (Pardubický kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying at low height in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a snow covered and wooded area. Three crew members were killed while three others were injured. Those killed were:
Jaromír Šimeček, pilot,
František Hrubý,
Jaromír Čaja.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3C in Vřesovice: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1952 at 1958 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
D-21
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Prague – Brno
MSN:
19474
YOM:
1944
Location:
Vřesovice
South Moravian Region (Jihomoravský kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
4789
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cargo flight in Czechoslovakia, carrying a load of newspapers on behalf of the national career CSA Czech Airlines. While on a night approach to Brno-Tuřany Airport, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Bradlo (548 meters high) located in the Chriby Mountain Range, about 2,5 km northwest of Vřesovice. The wreckage was found 35 km east of Tuřany Airport and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Větroň Antonín,
Antal Viliam,
Dvořák Jiří,
Gregr František,
Koval Vlastimil.
Probable cause:
Following several errors, the flying crew started the descent prematurely. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was at an insufficient altitude of 550 meters instead of the minimum altitude fixed at 1,800 meters in this area. Low visibility caused by night and marginal weather conditions prevented the crew to see the mountain, which was considered as a contributory factor. The Czech Authorities confirmed that the flight should normally be scheduled by the national career CSA but due to poor weather conditions, the CSA crew refused to fly. Thus, a military crew was engaged for this flight despite his lack of training in such weather conditions.

Crash of an Aero C.3AF in Lomnice nad Popelkou: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Aero C-3A
Operator:
Registration:
EB-30
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
389
Location:
Lomnice nad Popelkou
Liberec Region (Liberecký kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all three occupants.
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