Tyrol | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680 in Innsbruck: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1970 at 1043 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Grand Commander 680

Operator:

Registration:

OE-FAV

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Munich - Innsbruck

MSN:

680-1611-117

YOM:

1966

Flight number:

VRV002

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2015

Captain / Total hours on type:

57.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2206

Copilot / Total hours on type:

Aircraft flight hours:

3025

Circumstances:

On final approach to Innsbruck-Kranebitten Airport, the airplane banked right, stalled and crashed into the Inn River, about 350 meters short of runway 08 threshold. The airplane was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed. Control was lost just when the crew was cleared to land on runway 08.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control occurred when the right engine failed on final approach due to fuel exhaustion. Investigations revealed that the crew failed to prepare the flight properly and failed to embark sufficient fuel for the requested trip. The lack of experience on this type of aircraft was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Bristol 175 Britannia 312 on Mt Glungezer: 83 killed

Date & Time: Feb 29, 1964 at 1414 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol Britannia

Operator:

Registration:

G-AOVO

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

London-Heathrow – Innsbruck

MSN:

13423

YOM:

1958

Flight number:

EG802

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10290

Captain / Total hours on type:

3320.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

14073

Copilot / Total hours on type:

303

Aircraft flight hours:

13633

Circumstances:

British Eagle Flight 802 departed London-Heathrow Airport at 12:04 GMT with destination Innsbruck, Austria. At 13:35 the flight contacted Munich ATC and reported over the Kempten NDB nine minutes later, changing its IFR flight plan to VFR from Kempten to Innsbruck. Two minutes later the crew contacted Innsbruck and reported descending VMC directly to Seefeld. Over the Innsbruck VOR at FL110, the airplane was still unable to break the clouds. The last message from the flight was at 14:12 when it reported at FL100. The descent was continued until the airplane collided with the steep eastern flank of the Glungezer Mountain at an altitude of 2601 m (8500 ft). An avalanche occurred, carrying most of the aircraft debris downhill for about 400 m. All 83 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The primary cause was the erroneous decision of the pilot-in-command to descend, below the stipulated minimum safe altitude in the weather conditions prevailing at the time, as a result of which he was unable to conduct the flight in accordance with visual flight rules.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in Innsbruck

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Noorduyn Norseman

Operator:

Registration:

43-35376

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

450

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crash landed. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot John D. Dunleavy was injured.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-65-DL Flying Fortress near Hinterbichl: 20 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

44-6765

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

22988

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying in marginal weather conditions, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Austrian Alps, in Tyrol. The wreckage was found about 20 miles northeast of Campo Tures and few km north of Hinterbichl. All 20 occupants were killed.
Crew:
T/S William H. Arroyo,
T/S Milton A. Jackson,
Cpt Francis S. J. Sargeant
Cpl Herman O. Vold,
1st Lt Alex A. Williams Jr.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24H-15-CF Liberator in Stams

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1944 at 0945 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Operator:

Registration:

41-29377

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Pantanella - Pantanella

MSN:

476

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a bombing mission and left Pantanella AFB in the day. En route, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. All ten crewmen were able to bail out and were later rescued. The aircraft dove into the ground and crashed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mg6e on Mt Dreiherrnspitze: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

6888

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew encountered poor weather conditions with strong winds and made an emergency landing on Mt Dreiherrnspitze, probably at an altitude of 3,200 metres. All 11 occupants were rescued but the radio operator was seriously injured and died from injuries sustained on January 10. The wreckage was covered with snow and ice and disappeared. Nevertheless, it moved away with the Umbalkees Glacier during the following years and was localized in 2001 and recovered in 2003.
Crew:
Erich Stobbe, pilot,
Sfw August Pusch,
Obfw Werner Walter,
Uffz Schröder.
Passengers:
Gefr Linke,
Gefr Buran,
Mr. Drexel,
Mr. Voigt,
Mr. Petersen,
Mr. Dobler,
Mr. Richter.

Probable cause:

Emergency landing due to unfavorable winds.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111 near Untertilliach: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1939 at 1345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bad Wörishofen - Bad Wörishofen

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising in poor weather conditions, the crew decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed on the slope of Mt Mitterkar located near Untertilliach. A crewman was rescued while all three others were killed.