Country
code

Prague (Hlavní mesto Praha)

Crash of an Avia 14-40 in Prague

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OK-MCM
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
838 061 06
YOM:
1958
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident at Prague-Ruzyne Airport. The mishap occurred somewhere in January 1975 (exact date unknown). There were no injuries but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154 in Prague: 66 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1973 at 1006 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-85023
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Prague
MSN:
72A023
YOM:
1972
Flight number:
SU141
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
87
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
66
Captain / Total flying hours:
12650
Captain / Total hours on type:
236.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
14650
Copilot / Total hours on type:
247
Aircraft flight hours:
459
Aircraft flight cycles:
261
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off at 0650 GMT on a scheduled flight Moscow - Prague. Over the territory of the USSR the flight proceeded at 10 000 m, and this altitude was increased over the Romanian People's Republic to 10 650 m. Over Warsaw the aircraft was cleared to descend to 9 400 m, and near the Czechoslovak frontier it was cleared again to 8 850. The frontier was crossed at 6 700 m, the crew complying with all instructions. At 0854 GMT the aircraft reported overhead OKX that it had descended from 7 200 m to 6 700 m. Prague ACC cleared it to continue descent to 2 450 m and tune to Rodnice (RCE) VOR. At 0856 GMT the aircraft was instructed to maintain a track which would keep it in the middle of the airway. At 0900 GMT the aircraft reported overhead Rodnice at 2 450 m and was instructed to change over to the approach frequency 121.4 MHz. The aircraft at once contacted approach control and was cleared to fly via MO until it intercepted the approach beacon, then to descend to 1 200 m and report when crossing 1 500 m. The crew complied with these instructions. At 0902 GMT the aircraft reported descending through 1 500 m on a 135O heading and was instructed to change over to the ATC radar frequency. On this frequency it was cleared to continue flying to the ILS approach beacon, was given priority to land on Runway 25 and instructed to descend to 500 m on QFE 730.1 mm. At 0904 GMT the aircraft was cleared to descend to 350 rn on QFE and was informed that it was 2 km off the course line. After 40 seconds the radar controller informed the aircraft that it was correctly aligned and 15 km from the aerodrome, and at 0905 GMT he instructed the aircraft to switch over to the TWR frequency. After changeover the aircraft reported to TWR that it was approaching to land. TWR cleared it to land on Runway 25 and reported a change in the wind direction and speed to 250' - 4 m/s. At 0906 GMT, at its own request, the aircraft was given runway braking coefficient 5 and again cleared to land. This data was acknowledged by the aircraft at 0906.30 GMT, and this was the last contact with it. The aircraft flew the correct heights and headings and did not report any defects or trouble on the ATC frequencies. The descent to land proceeded normally along the ILS glide path up to the vicinity of the "L" marker. Near this aid the aircraft suddenly ducked under the glide path, continued to descend at an average angle of 4.62° to the glide path and struck the ground with the nosewheel at a point 467 m before the threshold of Runway 25. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and was also destroyed by a post crash fire. Four stewardesses and 62 passengers were killed, 18 occupants were seriously injured and 16 were uninjured.
Probable cause:
Owing to the high degree of destruction and total disintegration of the aircraft in the crash and ensuing fire it was not possible to establish the precise cause of the accident. The influence of unexpected atmospheric turbulence during the aircraft's final approach cannot be entirely ruled out.
Final Report:

Crash of an Avia 14-32A in Prague: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1968 at 1620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OK-MCJ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Prague – Piešťany – Košice
MSN:
778 051 20
YOM:
1958
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Prague-Ruzyne Airport, while climbing, one of the engine failed. The airplane went out of control and crashed in an open field located 7 km southwest from the airport. Three crew members and eight passengers were killed while 29 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was en route from Prague to Košice with an intermediate stop in Piešťany.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for undetermined reason. It was also reported that the crew coordination and reaction to an emergency situation was inappropriate, which was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of an Avia 14-32A in Prague: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OK-MCZ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Prague - Prague
MSN:
105 807 110
YOM:
1955
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Prague-Ruzyne Airport, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height, struck power cables and crashed in a field located one km from the airfield. All ten occupants were killed. They were involved in a local training mission.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Prague: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1954 at 1355 LT
Operator:
Registration:
OK-WDS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Prague – Ostrava
MSN:
11854
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
After a takeoff roll of 900 meters on runway 22, the pilot-in-command initiated the rotation. While climbing to a height of about 50 feet in a horizontal visibility of about 100 meters, the crew sighted the chimney and the pilot made a sharp turn to the left to avoid a collision. Doing so, the airplane hit a telephone pole and telegraphic cables, stalled and crashed in flames in a snow covered field located about one km south of the airfield. All four crew members and nine passengers were killed while five other passengers were rescued. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
Jan House, pilot,
Jiří Levý, copilot,
Milroslav Kalenda, radio operator,
Milroslav Häusler, flight engineer.
Probable cause:
No mechanical failure was reported on the airplane prior to the accident. At that time, the cloud base was about 200 meters above ground with a horizontal visibility of 100 meters in snow falls. The takeoff roll was completed on runway 22 that was covered with a layer of 5 to 10 cm of wet snow. The accident was the consequence of poor flying techniques on part of the pilot-in-command during initial climb.

Ground accident of an Ilyushin II-12B in Prague

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OK-CBF
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
8 301 29 16
YOM:
1949
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taxiing for takeoff, the aircraft hit an obstacle and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair and clean-up of register.
Probable cause:
Ground collision with an unknown obstacle.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK in Prague

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1948 at 1220 LT
Operator:
Registration:
OK-WDC
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Amsterdam – Prague
MSN:
12176
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Prague-Ruzyne Airport, when the aircraft broke through the clouds, it was deviated by 300 meters to the right of the runway centerline. Rather than making a go around, the pilot completed a steep turn to the left to join the runway but on final, the left wing hit the ground and the aircraft came to rest in a grassy area to the right of the runway. While all occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-60-DL in Prague: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1947 at 1343 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OK-XDU
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Prague - Prague
MSN:
13802
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Prague-Ruzyne Airport, while climbing, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Kladno, northwest of the airport. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Jan Kuhl, pilot,
Josef Hainzel, pilot,
František Papácek, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Without giving any more details, Czech Authorities reported that the accident was caused by a faulty maintenance on part of ground technicians employed by the national company. Following this accident, all crew members followed a strike movement until February 18.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Prague

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1946 at 1736 LT
Operator:
Registration:
OK-XDG
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Amsterdam – Prague
MSN:
19535
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Prague, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was forced to make a go around. During the next hour, four other attempts to land were aborted. Finally, the captain informed ATC that he was short of fuel and was forced to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a field located in Dobrovíz, two km north of the airfield. All 18 occupants were evacuated, two of them (both crew members) were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The ETA in Prague was 1535LT and the accident occurred at 1736LT. The crew of a Pan Am Constellation who should land in Prague decided to continue to Brussels due to poor weather conditions.
Photo: http://www.planes.cz/lite/fc47.php
Probable cause:
Forced landing due to fuel shortage.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Prague: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OK-ZDN
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris – Strasbourg – Prague
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Paris via Strasbourg, the crew started the descent to Prague but encountered poor weather conditions. Due to low visibility, the first approach was abandoned and a go around was performed. A second attempt to land was abandoned as well, still for the same reason. During the third attempt, the three engine aircraft was too low and hit the ground short of runway threshold. Eight passengers and two crew members were killed while five other occupants were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the crew continued the third approach at an insufficient altitude, probably in order to establish a visual contact with the ground.