Crash of a Fokker F12 near Brilon: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1935 at 1518 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PH-AFL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Prague – Leipzig – Essen – Amsterdam – Rotterdam
MSN:
5242
YOM:
1930
Flight number:
KL676
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft named 'Leeuwerik' departed Leipzig-Halle Airport at 1314LT, carrying two passengers and five crew members. At 1435LT, the radio navigator informed ground about his position some 10 km north of Kassel. Five minutes later, while cruising at a height of 1,000 metres, he reported poor weather conditions and low visibility due to heavy snow falls. He also requested a weather bulletin for Essen, the next stop before Amsterdam. The captain reduced his altitude to 450 metres and completed two successive turns when the aircraft impacted the side of a hilly terrain located some 15 km east of Brilon. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
P. Soer, pilot,
E. A. J. Prillwitz, copilot,
P. Welman,
H. Wingelaar.
Th. J. van den Klein, engineer.
Passengers:
H. L. A. Briel,
W. de Vlugt.
Probable cause:
It is the opinion of the Accident Investigation Board that at the time of the accident, the horizontal visibility was reduced to 80 meters due to snow falls. In such conditions, crew was unable to distinguish the ground and to establish his real position to continue then flight in a safely manner.