Flemish Brabant | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley on a patrol mission over the area of Antwerp, Brussels, Le Culot and Saint-Trond. Over Brussels, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Vilvorde. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Dennis Murray, pilot,
Sgt Chalres Dennis Gavin, observer,
Sgt Thomas Robson, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Lovendegem: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

N3551

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Detling - Detling

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Detling on a bombing mission over oil installations in the area of Ghent. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crash landed in Lovendegem. A crew was killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
F/o Alistair D. Panton, pilot,
Sgt Alfred Ernest Farrow, observer,
Sgt Leslie Herbert Stride, wireless operator and air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mte in Brussels: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

D-AGBI

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

6659

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

On approach to Brussels-Haren Airport, the three engine airplane apparently collided with an unknown aircraft and crashed in Evere, west of the airfield. Two occupants survived while nine others were killed, among them General Major Fritz Löb.
Crew:
Hptm Hans Luft, pilot,
Hptm Anton Lorenz, pilot, †
Obff Heinz Lorenz, navigator, †
Passengers:
Fw Wilhelm Augustin, †
Oblt Werner Kurmeyer, †
Gen Maj Fritz Löb, †
Maj Carl Prümm, †
Ernst Schade, †
Ogfr Willi Schumann, †
Hptm Kurt von Lange,
Hptm Helmut von Schultz. †

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Neerwinden: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1940 at 1700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

N6173

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Poix-Croixrault - Poix-Croixrault

MSN:

9273

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
P/O Croyden Jelfs Edinborough Chamberlain, pilot,
Sgt George Edward Seldon, observer,
AC1 Frank Hands, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Montaigu: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1940 at 1730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L9175

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Wattisham to attack bridges on the Albert Canal near Maastricht. En route, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Montaigu. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
F/O Gordon Reginald Grattan, pilot, †
Sgt T. Patterson, observer,
LAC Frederick John Allam, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mge in Brussels: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1939 at 0557 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

OO-AUA

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Croydon - Brussels

MSN:

5815

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Brussels-Haren Airport at night and in marginal weather conditions, at a height of about 50-60 metres, the three engine airplane lost altitude and descended to 10-20 metres when the pilot-in-command initiated a go around procedure. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located in Sint-Stevens-Woluwe, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident appeared to be attributable to an error of the pilot who made a go around when the aircraft was in the final landing phase, flaps out, and was already losing speed. The pilot's error was caused by an initial error of judgement, as he felt that he could land without facing the wind when he had taken a large margin of safety at high altitude, a margin required by the poor weather conditions and the lack of clearance from the aerodrome boundary in the direction of landing. The pilot did not appear to be concerned about the required landing direction indicated to him by the 'T' and the landing light location. His decision seems to have been dictated by the fear of missing the ground that he had had a hard enough time finding after a trip that was probably painful. In any event, the terminal services do not appear to be questionable as to the origin and consequences of the accident.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-115L in Brussels: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1937 at 1040 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-2

Operator:

Registration:

PH-ALF

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Amsterdam – Brussels – Paris

MSN:

1585

YOM:

1936

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Less than five minutes after takeoff from Brussels-Haren Airport, while climbing to a height of 1,200 feet, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a wheat field located 300 metres from Brages' station, bursting into flames. The airplane named 'Flamingo' was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 15 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cornelius Theo Regnerus Steensma, pilot,
Bernardus Ludekuize, radio navigator,
Gerardus Geering, engineer,
Martha Johanna van der Laan, stewardess.
Passengers:
A. Bloem,
W. Canton,
M. Goldbloom,
B. F. Mun,
N. Nathans,
C. Tondreau,
R. Tondreau-Tollenaere,
R. Trillo,
F. Wetzlar,
H. Wapperom,
G. Whitehouse.

Probable cause:

A fire erupted in the cabin shortly after take off for unknown reasons. Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Crash of a Boulton & Paul P.71A in Brussels

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1935 at 0256 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boulton & Paul P.71

Operator:

Registration:

G-ACOY

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Croydon – Brussels

MSN:

P.71A/2

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Brussels-Haren Airport at night, the twin engine aircraft impacted the ground and crashed 10 metres short of runway. All 15 occupants were rescued, among them seven were injured, two seriously. The aircraft named 'Britomart' was damaged beyond repair.

Ground accident of a Short L.17 Scylla in Brussels

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1935

Type of aircraft:

Short L.17 Scylla

Operator:

Registration:

G-ACJK

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Brussels – Croydon

MSN:

YOM:

1934

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

While taxiing for takeoff at Brussels Airport, the four engine aircraft was blown up by gusty winds and came to rest upside down. There were no casualties.

Crash of an Avro 504N at Goetsenhoven AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1933

Type of aircraft:

Avro 504

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Goetsenhoven AFB - Goetsenhoven AFB

Location:

Goetsenhoven AFB (Tienen)

Flemish Brabant

Country:

Belgium

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances at Goetsenhoven AFB while completing a local training flight. The pilot Joseph Ghislain Bataire, sole on board, was killed.

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