Germany

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bückeburg – Middle Wallop

MSN:

1468

YOM:

1961

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Just after takeoff from Bückeburg Airbase, while climbing, the engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a field and the aircraft crash landed near the airfield, losing its undercarriage during the mishap. All four occupants, among them General James Cassels, were uninjured while the aircraft, delivered last May 2, was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure caused by a fuel starvation.

Crash of a Boeing 707-328 in Hamburg

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1961 at 1620 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Registration:

F-BHSA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Hamburg-Helmut-Schmidt (Fuhlsbüttel)

Schedule:

Paris – Hambourg – Anchorage – Tokyo

MSN:

17613

YOM:

1959

Flight number:

AF272

Location:

Hamburg

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

14000

Captain / Total hours on type:

401.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

8000

Copilot / Total hours on type:

960

Aircraft flight hours:

3978

Aircraft flight cycles:

1080

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll on runway 23, at a speed of 120 knots, the captain noted the aircraft was turning slightly to the left and was unable to counteract. As a result, he decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and attempted an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a field located 140 meters the runway end, broken in three. Four crew members and six passengers were seriously injured while 31 other occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it was reported that a valve on the engine number two remained closed, causing the reverse system to deploy on that engine and the deviation of path during the takeoff procedure.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules at Ramstein AFB

Date & Time: May 27, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

59-1534

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Schedule:

Ramstein - Ramstein

MSN:

3570

YOM:

1960

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training flight at Ramstein AFB. After touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway to the left and came to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas SC-47A in Wiesbaden: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 19, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

43-15277

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

19743

YOM:

1944

Location:

Wiesbaden-Erbenheim AFB

Hesse

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Wiesbaden-Erbenheim AFB, while climbing, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. Both crew members were killed.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Forchheim: 52 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1961 at 2009 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-18

Operator:

Registration:

OK-OAD

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Prague – Zurich – Rabat – Dakar – Conakry – Bamako

MSN:

180 0021 02

YOM:

1960

Flight number:

OK511

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

8572

Captain / Total hours on type:

354.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

11019

Copilot / Total hours on type:

179

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 20,000 feet over Bavaria, the four engine aircraft disappeared from radar screens at 2009LT and crashed in a field located near Forchheim, north of Nuremberg. The crew was unable to send any distress call prior to the crash. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 52 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

In the light of the investigations undertaken, it is probable that the accident occurred in one of the following ways, although the possibility of other causes cannot be ruled out:
a) Forced descent causing the aircraft to exceed the structural stress factor in the approach manoeuvre or during the pull-out owing to:
1) The aircraft falling into an uncontrollable flight position because of a defect in an artificial horizon or an electric instrument of equal importance. In air transport flight incidents throughout the world, where unintentional steep dives have occurred, such incidents can be explained by a defect in an artificial horizon,
2) An unnoticed over control of the electrical rudder or aileron trim adjustment occurring when the automatic pilot was operating with flight movements resulting therefrom after the automatic pilot was disconnected. The automatic pilot was not equipped with a trim servo-indicator to give warning of excessive trim adjustment,
3) Physical incapacity of one or both pilots.
b) Intentional descent owing to the presence of smoke, fire or similar emergency, during which the structural stress factor was exceeded in the approach manoeuvre or in the pull-out.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-7 in Nuremberg

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1961 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-7

Operator:

Registration:

N745PA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Frankfurt – Stuttgart

MSN:

44887

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a cargo flight from Frankfurt to Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport. On final, weather conditions were marginal with low clouds down to 200 meters and a visibility limited to a half mile. As the copilot was unable to locate the runway, he decided to make a go around when the right main gear and the engine number three struck an earth mound located 20 meters short of runway threshold. Upon impact, the engine number three and the right main gear were sheared off. The captain regained control, continued the climb and informed ground he was diverting to Nuremberg Airport for a safe landing. Authorities were informed of the situation and the runway was recovered with foam. After a belly landing, the airplane slid for several yards and came to rest. All three crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the copilot-in-command continued the approach below the glide and executed an improper approach according to procedures, causing the aircraft to be too low on final. A lack of supervision on part of the captain was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Vickers 610 Viking 1B in Düsseldorf

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viking

Operator:

Registration:

D-BALI

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

222

YOM:

1947

Location:

Düsseldorf

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll, the airplane was caught by strong crosswinds, veered off runway and struck with its left wing the ILS system located in a small building. All nine occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Caught by strong crosswinds during takeoff.

Crash of a Nord 2501D Noratlas in Vilkerath: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1961 at 0755 LT

Type of aircraft:

Nord 2501 Noratlas

Operator:

Registration:

GB+119

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Cologne - Cologne

MSN:

103

Location:

Vilkerath

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Region:

Douglas C-124 Globemaster II

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a local test flight out from Cologne-Bonn Airport after one of the engine has been changed the day prior to the accident. On approach by night, the aircraft was too low and struck power cable and electric pole before crashing in a snow covered field located in Vilkerath, 15 km east of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed. There were icing conditions at the time of the accident.
Crew:
Cpt Helmut Wolf, pilot,
Wolfram Miss, pilot,
Erich Lauf, radio operator,
Rudi Wilker, mechanic.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a wrong altimeter setting probably due to faulty information because the Pitot tubes were obstructed by ice.

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II at Spangdahlem AFB

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

52-0969

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site: