Region
Europe

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings in Berlin: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings
Operator:
Registration:
TG611
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Berlin – Frankfurt
MSN:
89
YOM:
1949
Location:
Berlin-Tegel
Berlin
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing steeply to a height of some 150 feet, the aircraft stalled from the tail and went to a near vertical attitude. The left wing then dropped and the aircraft crashed into the ground and was destroyed. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (47th Squadron based in RAF Dishforth):
F/O Ian R. Donaldson,
Sgt Joseph Toal,
Nav William G. Page,
Sig Alexander Dunsire,
Eng Roy R. Gibbs.
Probable cause:
The cause was found to be the elevator trim tab which had been turned to the fully back position.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-1-DC Skymaster near Hohengöhren: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1949 at 0117 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
42-72476
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Celle – Berlin
MSN:
10581
YOM:
1945
Location:
Hohengöhren
Saxony-Anhalt
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On a night cargo flight from Celle AFB to Berlin-Gatow Airport, the crew encountered technical problems with both right engines (number three and four). The pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a field located in Hohengöhren. All three crew members of the 317th TCW were killed. The aircraft was carrying a load consisting of ten tons of coal.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII in Schleswig

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII
Operator:
Registration:
G-AHWN
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1314
YOM:
1946
Location:
Schleswig AFB
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Schleswig, while in initial climb, the crew encountered technical problems with the undercarriage that could not be raised. In such situation, the captain decided to return to Schleswig for a safe landing. On touchdown, the undercarriage collapsed and the aircraft slid on its belly before coming to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was already damaged last June 12 when it collided with another LAC Halifax 8 in Berlin-Tegel Airport.
Probable cause:
Technical problem with the undercarriage.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian 4 in Berlin

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 691 Lancastrian
Operator:
Registration:
G-AKFH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
London – Berlin
MSN:
485422
YOM:
1947
Location:
Berlin-Gatow
Berlin
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft landed hard and bounced several times, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in flames. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-1-DO Skymaster in Berlin

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
44-9050
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Frankfurt – Berlin
MSN:
27276
YOM:
1944
Location:
Berlin-Tempelhof
Berlin
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing, the four engine aircraft went out of control and came to rest upside down. All three crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Wünsdorf AFB

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 685 York
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALBX
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Wünsdorf - London
MSN:
PC4494
YOM:
1945
Location:
Wünsdorf AFB
Brandenburg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the engine number four failed. The crew elected to return but while at an altitude of 550 feet, the engine number three suffered a loss of power. In such conditions, the captain attempted to make an emergency landing in a field. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest few km from the airport. While all three crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII in Berlin

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII
Operator:
Registration:
G-ALBZ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Schleswig – Berlin
MSN:
1348
YOM:
1945
Location:
Berlin-Tegel
Berlin
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown in Berlin-Tegel Airport, a tire burst. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that veered off runway and collided with another Lancashire Aircraft Corporation Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII registered G-AHWN that was parked on the apron. There were no casualties but G-ALBZ was damaged beyond repair. The crew was performing a cargo flight from Schleswig, taking part to the Berlin Airlift. The Halifax registered G-AHWN was repaired but eventually damaged beyond repair on a landing accident in Schleswig on July 6, 1949.
Probable cause:
Tire burst on landing.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII in Berlin

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII
Operator:
Registration:
G-AKBJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1317
YOM:
1945
Location:
Berlin-Tegel
Berlin
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed for unknown reason. All four crew members were slightly injured and the aircraft christened 'Air Ambassador' was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian XPP in Ludwiglust

Date & Time: May 10, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 691 Lancastrian
Operator:
Registration:
G-AKDP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Berlin – Lübeck
MSN:
3386
YOM:
1947
Location:
Ludwigslust
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Berlin to Lübeck, taking part to the Berlin Airlift, the crew encountered control problems. The captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in an open field located west of Ludwiglust. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all four crew members were unhurt.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII in Nauen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.70 Halifax VIII
Operator:
Registration:
G-AKAC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hamburg – Berlin
MSN:
1340
YOM:
1945
Location:
Nauen
Brandenburg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While approaching Berlin on a cargo flight from Hamburg, taking part to the Berlin Airlift, the four engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Nauen, about 26 km northwest of Tegel Airport. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt William Richard Donald Lewis, pilot,
Edward Ernest Caroll, navigator,
John Anderson, flight engineer,
Kenneth George Wood, radio operator.
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