Greece | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed Tanagra AFB on a paratroopers mission. While in initial climb, the engines failed. All paratroopers bailed out and the crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a field near Kalamos, some 25 km east of Tanagra Airfield. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Fw Ludwig Wagner, pilot, †
Fw Leonard Lados, observer, †
Uffz Josef Freisinger, radio operator,
Fw Walter Kagemann, mechanic.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the engines failed due to sabotage after Greek workers put sugar in the fuel supply system.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 in Crete

Date & Time: May 22, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

L1+LL

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Elefsis - Elefsis

MSN:

2262

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The bomber departed Elefsis AFB at 0730 on an operation to Crete. Over the island, it was shot down by enemy fire (British ship) and crashed. All four occupants were injured.
Crew:
Ofw Heinrich Boecker, pilot,
Uffz Ernst Mössner, observer,
Fw Fritz Jährling, radio operator,
Gfr Hans Tesch, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 in Crete: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

L1+IK

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Elefsis - Elefsis

MSN:

6329

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

The bomber departed Elefsis AFB at 0730 on an operation to Crete. Over the island, it was shot down by enemy fire (British ship) and crashed. Three crew members were killed and a fourth was injured.
Crew:
Lt Wolfgang Schweickhardt, pilot, †
Gfr Werner Boll, observer, †
Uffz Karl-Heinz Knüttel, radio operator, †
Gfr Josef Bullinger, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mg5e in Alikianos: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 20, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

9P+MU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

6908

YOM:

1940

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near Alikianos, southwest from Chania. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Heinz Bickel, pilot,
Fw Rudolf Huemer, observer,
Uffz Gustav Peters, radio operator.
Passenger:
Fw Richard Seiler.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Heraklion: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 20, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

G6+EK

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

6240

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

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The three engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Heraklion Airport. All four crew members were killed, among them one was not recovered.
Crew:
Uffz Helmut Biewendt, pilot,
Uffz Willi Schürme, observer,
Uffz Werner Kirnse, radio operator,
Fw Erich Mählig, mechanic.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Maleme

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

K7177

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Maleme - Maleme

MSN:

8130

YOM:

1938

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Maleme Airport at 0615LT on an operation off Kalamata. At 0750LT, the crew sighted a Dornier bomber and elected to make contact. In doing so the aircraft was hit while turning to attack and presumably flew into an AA barrage of the naval escort. Damaged was caused to both planes and the belly gun trough of the Blenheim was badly damaged. One of the tires had been struck by AA but the aircraft made a good landing on return to base. Nevertheless, it was damaged beyond repair. All three crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
F/Sgt D. J. Innes-Smith, pilot +2.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 in Tripoli: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

4D+ER

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

3200

Location:

Tripoli

Peloponnese / Πελοπόννησος

Country:

Greece

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all four crew members.
Crew:
Uffz Arthur Paprozki, pilot,
Oblt Eduard Thommen, observer,
Ogfr Kurt Schiller, radio operator,
Ogfr Benno Scharnetzke, air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed 10A Electra on Mt Olympus: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 10 Electra

Operator:

Registration:

YU-SBA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Belgrade – Athens

MSN:

1123

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane departed Belgrade on a special mission to Athens, carrying six passengers and two crew members. While cruising at night, the crew encountered limited visibility when the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Olympus (2,918 metres) located northeast of Elassona. The wreckage was found few days later. All eight occupants were killed, among them the Serbian Historian Vladimir Ćorović who was going into exile in Greece due to the recent invasion of Yugoslavia. He was accompanied with other members of the Serbian Government and members of the Royal Family.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Vigla: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8478

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Location:

Vigla

West Macedonia / Δυτική Μακεδονία

Country:

Greece

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

While flying in foggy conditions, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near Vigla. The wreckage was found the next day 50 feet below the summit. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Antony Thornburn Irvine, pilot,
P/O Gerald Davies, observer,
P/O Arthur Charles Geary, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Florina: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1539

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Paramythia - Florina

MSN:

8822

YOM:

1939

Location:

Florina

West Macedonia / Δυτική Μακεδονία

Country:

Greece

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The bomber crashed in unknown circumstances in the region of Florina, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
F/Sgt A. G. James, pilot,
Sgt Andrew Bryce, observer,
Sgt Arthur James Waring, wireless operator.