Germany | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While approaching Berlin-Schönefeld Airport, the airplane was too low and struck the top of the Bohnsdorf church, crashed and burst into flames three km from the airfield. Three crew members were killed and three others were injured. For undetermined reason, the crew was approaching the airport at an insufficient altitude.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson C.19 in Dahlhausen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

TX203

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wunstorf – Düsseldorf

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The aircraft was engaged in an ambulance flight from Wünstorf Airbase to Düsseldorf, carrying two pilots and two doctors. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the right engine suffered an oil leak and was shut down by the crew. As he was unable to maintain a safe altitude, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing. After it crossed the last cloud layer, the twin engine aircraft was facing a large wooded area. Shortly later, it struck trees and crashed in the forest. Both pilots were injured while both doctors were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt T. E. Went,
Sgt J. Moynaham.
Passengers:
F/O Daphne Jane Budgeon,
Sac Robert William Flint.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine following an oil leak in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK in Düsseldorf: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Manx Airways

Registration:

G-AMZC

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Douglas - Düsseldorf

MSN:

16522/33270

YOM:

1945

Location:

Düsseldorf-Lohausen

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a positioning flight from Douglas, Isle of Man, to Düsseldorf to pick up passengers. While descending to Lohausen Airport, the crew received the permission to perform an ILS approach but for unknown reason, the captain preferred to make a visual approach despite the low visibility caused by marginal weather conditions. On final, the airplane was too low, hit trees and crashed 5 km short of runway. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying pilot who continued the descent without sufficient visual reference, causing the aircraft to pass below the glide in low visibility conditions.

Crash of a Miles M.57 Aerovan 4 in Dachau

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Miles M.57 Aerovan

Operator:

Air Ads

Registration:

G-AJTC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

6414

YOM:

1947

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances. No casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A Beaver in Lohr am Main: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1955

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Vilseck – Frankfurt

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Crashed in flames in a wooded area located 4 km north of Lohr am Main while completing a flight from Vilseck to Main Airbase in Frankfurt. The wreckage was found two days later and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Edelweiler: 20 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1955 at 1420 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Registration:

53-3222

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Dreux - Stuttgart

MSN:

11238

YOM:

1953

Flight number:

Chalk 8

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

A group of nine Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar left Dreux, Eure-et-Loir, on a flight to Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport in southwest Germany under flight code 'Chalk'. Enroute, the pilot of C-119 registered 53-3222 (Chalk 8) called the leader and informed the rest of the formation he lost his left engine and elected to land asap. While trying to leave the formation, 53-3222 made a turn to the left when the top of its empennage hit the base of the cockpit of C-119 registered 53-7841 (Chalk 9). Both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a wooded area and a field located near Edelweiler. Both aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 66 crew members on both aircraft were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine in flight. It was also determined that the collision was due to the wrong position of 53-7841 because his crew failed to respect the assigned altitude in the formation. In conclusion, the board finds that the primary cause of the accident was pilot error. It is the opinion of the board that if the left wingman (aircraft 53-7841) had held his proper position instead of dropping down and out, the accident would not have occurred. It was established that just prior to the accident, aircraft 7841 had overrun his element leader. Evidence was found that the right wingman (aircraft 53-3222) was in process of losing his left engine and was given instructions to leave the formation. He was in the process of leaving the formation by descending and turning to the left according to normal procedures when the collision occurred. After considering all the available evidence, the board feels that the accident would not have happened if engine malfunction had not occurred, causing the right wingman to break formation. The board found evidence of supervisory error in that the pilot responsible for the accident had not had proper crew rest and his copilot’s experience was extremely low.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Edelweiler: 46 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1955 at 1420 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Registration:

53-7841

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Dreux - Stuttgart

MSN:

11258

YOM:

1953

Flight number:

Chalk 9

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Probable cause:

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson C.12 in Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1955

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

PH618

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Location:

Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft was too low, hit tree and crashed in a wooded area located on a hilly terrain in Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed, among them one civilian.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20A in Lorsch: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1955

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

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Circumstances:

Following a training mission, the single engine was returning to its base and was flying at low height when it collided with an unidentified aircraft that landed safely. Out of control, the Beaver went out of control and crashed 800 meters farther. All four occupants have been killed.

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