Netherlands

The prototype aircraft, after having carried out several demonstration flights in Germany, was on its way back to England. It took off from Emden, Germany, at 1137 hrs local time on a non-scheduled international VFR flight to Southampton, England, with the pilot and one passenger. Two minutes after take-off the aircraft made radio contact with Eelde and at 1150 hrs informed Eelde that it was "abeam Eelde VOR" and flying at 1 500 ft VMC on top of cloud. At this position the aircraft could not have had any visual ground contact. At 1156 hrs the aircraft asked Amsterdam Flight Information Service for radar assistance in order to pass through Schiphol Control Zone but was informed it was not possible because positive radar contact could not be established. At 1209 hrs the aircraft was advised to divert to Eelde because weather conditions in the Schiphol Control Zone precluded VFR flight through the zone at 1500 ft. On receipt of this information the pilot informed Amsterdam that he would proceed according to his flight plan. At 1220 hrs when flying at 1 500 ft the pilot informed Schiphol that he would clear Schiphol Control Zone to the west. This was after the controller had positively instructed him to remain clear of the Control Zone and that it was impossible to pass through the zone at 1 500 ft under VFR. Reconstruction of the aircraft's flight path showed that at about 1225 hrs it deviated from its route and cleared the Schiphol area on a heading of about 040°. Shortly afterwards, at 1234 hrs the pilot reported he vas experiencing "serious compass trouble1' and asked for a "steer" but Amsterdam still had no radar contact with the aircraft. According to eyewitnesses, the aircraft was, at about this time, flying at a very low height around the vicinity of the village of Rijs, returning to or passing over the same area several times. It was also established from these witnesses that the weather conditions were such i.e. fog and rain, that the pilot would not have had adequate visual reference. At 1240 hrs the pilot reported "some compass trouble" and again requested radar guidance but radar contact had still not been established. Flight at low altitude was apparently discontinued at about 1247 hrs and at 1249 hrs the pilot reported at 3 000 ft in IMC and that he had a serious instrument failure. Schiphol Control instructed him to maintain FL 30 (3 000 ft) and a heading of 200'. Contrary to this instruction, the pilot reported at 1251 hrs as being at FL 50 and at 1254 hrs at 6 000 ft. At 1255 hrs the controller asked if the aircraft was circling, the pilot replied in the affirmative and said "I think I am going around it". The controller acknowledged this transmission and remarked that he thought the aircraft should be heading 200°; the pilot then replied "I cannot maintain a heading". At that moment the aircraft was positively identified on the radar screen. Replying to the radar controller's instruction to fly specific headings and to make a left-hand turn the pilot said he could not maintain a heading and that right hand turns were easier to mase. At 1258 hrs the pilot requested the height of cloud tops and inquired if there were any clear layers in which he could find visual flight conditions. At his request he was cleared to climb to FL 80; however, a German military aircraft which had recently flown over Spijkerboor at PL 100 reported that it had been "fully IMC" there. At 1301 hrs the pilot reported at 8 700 ft and "climbing as fast as I can, I want to pet out on top"; this was the last recognizable transmission heard by Schiphol. The aircraft was observed on the radar screen until about 1309 hrs at which time radar contact was lost. According to the radar controller the indications observed on the screen for the last 10 to 12 minutes indicated that the aircraft made a series of random small radius right and left-hand turns. At 1310 hrs witnesses near Ringwiel lake saw parts of an aircraft falling, most of it into the lake; these were later identified as parts of the subject aircraft. Calculations and evidence suggested that the aircraft climbed to an altitude above 10 000 ft where it would have encountered severe icing and would have reached a region of moderate to severe turbulence. The time of impact was estimated to be approximately 1310 hrs. The aircraft was totally destroyed and both occupants were killed.

Parked on apron at Valkenburg AFB, the aircraft was stolen by night by two intoxicated technicians. They were able to start the engine and to take off. During initial climb, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off Katwijk. Both occupants were killed.

The crew was completing a visual approach to Rotterdam-Zestienhoven Airport in conditions of snow (visibility 1460 m). During the final approach the landing gear struck a 6 feet high dyke located 800 feet short of the runway threshold. The plane bounced and struck the ground heavily 200 feet further on. The right was sheared off and the aircraft crashed upside down in a snow covered field. The captain was killed and the copilot was seriously injured. Two other crew members were injured while all 14 passengers were unhurt.

En route from Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport to Valkenburg AFB, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing on a beach located in Noordwijk. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and both crew members were uninjured.

The crew (four pilots under instruction) were performing a local training flight at Groningen-Eelde Airport. On final, the twin engine airplane stalled and crashed in a field. All four occupants were killed.

For undetermined reason, the seaplane landed hard on the Haringvliet off Middelharnis. On impact, the tail broke off and the airplane came to rest and sank. All seven crew members were injured and evacuated.

The crew was performing a demonstration flight, taking part to an airshow at Valkenburg AFB. Following uneventful rotations, the pilot started an approach with one engine voluntarily inoperative. On short final, the second engine lost power, the airplane stalled and hit the runway surface, slid for several yards and came to a halt. All five crew members were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

While approaching Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport after an uneventful flight from New York via Shannon, the crew received the permission to descend to 5,500 feet and then 4,500 feet and 3,500 feet respectively. At 1130LT, the four engine aircraft christened 'Willem Bontekoe' disappeared from the radar screens after it crashed into the sea. About five minutes after the disappearance, ATC cleared the crew to descend to 2,500 feet but did not receive any feedback. SAR operations were hampered by poor weather conditions and first debris were found at 1610LT about 37 km northwest of Ijmuiden. None of the 21 occupants survived the crash and less than 50% of the aircraft was recovered.

After a run of 700 meters on runway 05, the captain started to rotate. During the initial climb, at a height of approximately 50 to 60 feet and at a speed of 233 km/h, the pilot-in-command retracted the flaps when the aircraft lost height and stalled. The pilot closed the throttles and belly landed the airplane on the remaining runway. The aircraft slid for 200 meters, overran, crossed a road where it struck two standing girls before coming to rest near a drainage ditch, broken in two. All 34 occupants were evacuated safely while two girls aged 16 and 4 were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.

Shortly after takeoff from Valkenburg AFB, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and belly landed in a field pas the runway end. It slid for several yards and eventually came to a stop with both engines sheared off. The left propeller went through the cockpit and severely damaged the fuselage. There were no casualties but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.