Crash of a Beechcraft 65-80 Queen Air in Kehrig: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1964 at 1535 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
HB-GBE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Liège – Linz
MSN:
LD-109
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet in marginal weather conditions, the airplane went of control, dove into the ground and crashed onto a house located in Kehrig. All three passengers were killed while the pilot was seriously injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of the detachment of one of the elevator in flight while the aircraft was cruising in poor weather conditions with apparent atmospheric turbulences. It was also reported that the pilot owned a licence allowing him to fly under VFR conditions only.

Crash of a Rockwell CT-39A Sabreliner in Vogelsberg: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1964 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-4448
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wiesbaden - Wiesbaden
MSN:
276-1
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Wiesbaden-Erbenheim AFB at 1401LT for a training flight along the border between East Germany and West Germany. For unknown reason, the twin engine aircraft penetrated the East German Airspace without permission and was quickly intercepted and shut down by the pilots of two East German MiG-19 fighters. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed on the Bonifacius hill located in Vogelsberg. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Col Hannaford,
Cpt Lorraine,
Cpt Millard.
Probable cause:
Shut down by East German Air Force fighters.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Königsbrück

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1963 at 1550 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DM-SBL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Berlin – Budapest – Constanta
MSN:
6 34 12 06
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Berlin-Schönefeld Airport at 1357LT on a charter flight to Constata with an intermediate stop in Budapest, carrying 28 passengers and a crew of five. Fourteen minutes after takeoff, while cruising at an altitude of 2,400 meters above the clouds, the left magneto failed due to a broken electrical wire. Overcharged, the right magneto failed shortly later, causing the failure of all electrical systems. The battery became shortly empty, causing the heating system and the deicing system to fail as well. Some circuit breakers also failed and in such conditions, the captain decided to divert to Dresden-Klotzsche Airport for an emergency landing. Due to the failure of the radio communication systems, the crew was unable to contact ATC and in poor weather conditions, it was impossible for the pilot to locate the airport of Dresden. The captain eventually attempted an emergency landing in a field located in Königsbrück. The aircraft belly landed near a military barrack, slid for several yards and came to rest. All 33 occupants evacuated the cabin and only two passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Augustdorf: 38 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1963 at 1200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
CP-45
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brussels - Gütersloh
MSN:
246
YOM:
1952
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
42
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
38
Aircraft flight hours:
3172
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Brussels-Melsbroek Airport in the morning on a flight to Gütersloh Airbase, Germany. Approaching Augustdorf, the captain decided to reduce his altitude to 2,500 feet to make a reconnaissance of the military training camp of Senne located 7 km south of Augustdorf. At this time, British troops were engaged in local exercices consisting of mortar shell fire. While flying too low, the aircraft was struck by several mortar shell and caught fire. Nine passengers were able to bail out and were later recovered uninjured. Out of control, the airplane went into a dive and crashed in flames, killing all 38 remaining occupants. It was reported few days after this tragic event that the aircraft should never being in this area at this time as it has been previously delimited by the British Troops for scheduled exercices. For unknown reason, the crew failed to follow the minimum safe altitude that was fixed at 10,000 feet over the area that day.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A-191 in Herzogenaurach

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1963
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N16067
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1907
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Herzogenaurach Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest. Both crew members were slightly injured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland U-6A Beaver in Horath: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1962
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a liaison flight from Spandgahlem Airbase. En route, the engine failed, causing the aircraft to lose height and to struck a tree. Out of control, it crashed in a field located 2 km north of Horath. All four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Lockheed WV-2Q Super Constellation in Markt Schwaben: 26 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1962 at 1140 LT
Operator:
Registration:
131390
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
4310
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Frankfurt-Main on a special flight, carrying a crew of four, 22 passengers and thousands of confidential documents of the US Army. While cruising at an altitude of 18,000 feet, the crew contacted ATC twice, declared an emergency and elected to divert to Munich-Riem Airport. Shortly later, the aircraft exploded and crashed in a field located in Markt Schwaben, 17 km south of Munich Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 26 occupants were killed. Debris and documents were scattered on an area over 65 km2.
Probable cause:
It is believed the airplane suffered a major structural failure in flight, maybe due to fatigue cracks that were not detected during the last maintenance check. The assumption that a fire erupted in the cargo compartment was not ruled out.

Crash of a Boeing 720-030B in Ebersheim: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1961 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-ABOK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Frankfurt - Cologne
MSN:
18058
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane left runway 25L at Frankfurt-Main Airport at 1222LT on a training flight to Cologne-Bonn Airport with a crew of three on board. Three minutes after liftoff, while passing over Nierstein beacon at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the crew was instructed to turn right heading to Ruedesheim beacon with a minimum altitude of 9,000 feet. Shortly later, the airplane went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located in Ebersheim, about 23 km west of the airport. The aircraft was completely destroyed upon impact and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty.

Crash of a Vickers 736 Viscount in Frankfurt

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1961 at 1848 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AODH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Berlin – Frankfurt
MSN:
78
YOM:
1955
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
12303
Captain / Total hours on type:
2378.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on a scheduled service (charter flight) from Berlin to Frankfurt-Main. Aboard were a pilot-in-command, a copilot, 2 stewardesses, 11 passengers and one child. The flight proceeded normally until the final approach at its destination. During a missed ILS approach in poor visibility the aircraft struck the ground alongside runway 25 and was badly damaged while rolling to a stop. Two of the sixteen occupants were injured. The accident occurred at 1848LT.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command, during the ILS approach, flew below the critical height and, in a surface visibility which was inadequate, struck the ground alongside the runway. It is probable that a contributing factor was that at the critical moment the assistance given by the copilot to the pilot-in-command was erroneous and misleading.
Final Report: