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Crash of an Aero Commander 520 in Bilbao: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Aero Commander 520
Operator:
Registration:
N2631B
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Madrid – Paris
MSN:
520-143
YOM:
1954
Location:
Bilbao-Sondica
Basque Country
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a flight from Madrid to Paris. While in cruising altitude, he encountered technical problems with an engine and requested the permission to divert to Bilbao-Sondica Airport. On final approach, following an uneventful descent, the airplane stalled and crashed 500 meters short of runway threshold. The aircraft, owned by S. Sehranger, was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.114 Heron 2D in San Sebastian

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1957
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.114 Heron
Operator:
Registration:
EC-AOA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Madrid – San Sebastian
MSN:
14120
YOM:
1957
Location:
San Sebastian
Basque Country
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2500
Captain / Total hours on type:
15.00
Circumstances:
EC-AOA departed Barajas Airport, Madrid, on the morning of 26 October on a scheduled passenger transport flight to San Sebastian-Fuenterrabia Airport. Brake failure occurred on landing and the aircraft left the field and fell into a slough in the estuary of the Bidassoa River, approximately 20 metres from the airport limits. As a result of the accident, a passenger suffered a fractured arm, and two other passengers were slightly injured. The remaining 14 passengers and the crew were uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The total discharge of the air system bottles, owing to the internal leak in the landing gear selector, prevented brake functioning.
Final Report:

Crash of a Heinkel He.70 in Miravalles: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.70
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Miravalles
Basque Country
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a reconnaissance mission when it was shot down by anti aircraft fire and crashed 2 km south of Miravalles, some 10 km southeast of Bilbao. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Helmut Hildemann,
Uffz Fritz Heerschlag,
Lt Siegfried Gottanka.
Probable cause:
Shot down by anti aircraft fire.

Crash of a Junkers JU.86D in Durango

Date & Time: May 29, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.86
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Durango
Basque Country
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a bombing mission over the area of Durango when it was shot down by enemy fire. The pilot was able to make an emergency landing. All four crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.6J Envoy III in Sopelana

Date & Time: May 26, 1937 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.6 Envoy
Operator:
Registration:
F-APPQ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Biarritz – Bilbao
MSN:
69
YOM:
1936
Location:
Sopelana
Basque Country
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Biarritz-Parme Airport on a flight to Bilbao, carrying three passengers and two crew members. While cruising over the Basque County, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a Spanish Nationalist Forces fighter and the engines were struck by bullets. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed on a beach located in Sopelana, about 12 km northwest of Bilbao Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m near Bilbao: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Bilbao
Basque Country
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a bombing mission over Bilbao when it was shot down by the pilot of a National Air Forces fighter. It entered a dive during which two crew members were able to bail and eventually crashed in Arraiz, in the suburb of Bilbao, bursting into flames. The three crew members who remained on board were killed.
Crew:
Sgt/M Herbert Barowsky, †
Pvt Hans Schul, †
Cpl Paul Ziepp, †
S/Sgt Adolf Hermann,
Karl Gustav Schmidt.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
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