Crash of a Douglas DC-6B off Ijmuiden: 21 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1954 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PH-DFO
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
New York – Shannon – Amsterdam
MSN:
43556
YOM:
1952
Flight number:
KL633
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Aircraft flight hours:
6308
Circumstances:
While approaching Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport after an uneventful flight from New York via Shannon, the crew received the permission to descend to 5,500 feet and then 4,500 feet and 3,500 feet respectively. At 1130LT, the four engine aircraft christened 'Willem Bontekoe' disappeared from the radar screens after it crashed into the sea. About five minutes after the disappearance, ATC cleared the crew to descend to 2,500 feet but did not receive any feedback. SAR operations were hampered by poor weather conditions and first debris were found at 1610LT about 37 km northwest of Ijmuiden. None of the 21 occupants survived the crash and less than 50% of the aircraft was recovered.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, a number of hypothesis as to the cause of the accident were developed. Some possibilities considered were:
- overheating of the electric system with heavy smoke development,
- explosion of one of the high pressure bottles,
- failure of a cockpit window,
- failure of the automatic pilot system.
However, no hypothesis could be formulated in which all occurrences and evidence could be made reasonably acceptable. Therefore, in November 1955, after a 15-months' period of intensive investigation, the conclusion had to be drawn that the cause of the accident could not be established.
Final Report:

Crash of a Martin B-26B Marauder off Ijmuiden: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1943 at 1213 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-18090
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While approaching the Dutch coast on a bombing mission, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea 5 miles off Ijmuiden. Five crew members were killed while the sixth occupant was rescued and taken PoW.
Crew (452nd BS):
2nd Lt Edward R. Norton,
2nd Lt James A. Norton,
Lt Alvin X. Zeindenfeld,
S/Sgt Ralph H. McDougall,
S/Sgt Harrison E. Kegg,
Sgt Bennett W. Longworth.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Martin B-26B Marauder off Ijmuiden: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1943 at 1212 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-17979
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While approaching the Dutch coast, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea, two miles west of Ijmuiden. A crew member was killed while five others were rescued.
Crew (322nd BG/450th BS):
Lt Col William R. Purinton,
2nd Lt William H. Kinney,
Lt Edward F. Jefferis Jr., †
S/Sgt Jean J. Duhamel,
S/Sgt Robert J. Gunther,
Sgt Lester F. Miller.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V off IJmuiden: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1942 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AE649
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
North Coates - North Coates
MSN:
414-3002
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Coates to search for enemy shipping. While flying along the Dutch coast, it crashed on a German merchant vessel near IJmuiden. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Leslie Walter Jaggard, pilot, †
P/O Hubert Jack Parker, †
Sgt William John Palmer,
Sgt Douglas Sykes.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off IJmuiden: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L8788
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Attlebridge - Attlebridge
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Attlebridge at 1030LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off IJmuiden. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Basil Douglas Davies,
P/O George Bannatyne Dunn,
P/O John Reginald Arthur Jones.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off IJmuiden: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1941 at 1235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z7487
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1120LT on an anti-shipping operation. While flying along the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off IJmuiden. Two crew members were killed and a third was rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
W/Cdr Arthur Frank Calvert Booth, pilot, †
F/Sgt Colin Gordon Goodfellow, †
Sgt Thomas Scott.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off IJmuiden: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R2791
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Norwich - Norwich
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Horsham St Faith at 0513LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off IJmuiden. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Stanley Bertram Bransby,
Sgt George Allan Bye,
Sgt William George Thorneycroft.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off IJmuiden: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L9386
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Norwich - Norwich
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Horsham St Faith on an operation to IJmuiden. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Robert Bennett,
Sgt Ernest William Laban,
P/O Eric Robert Pierce.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Dornier Do J Wal IId 16a-Bis off Ijmuiden: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
D-ABAU
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lübeck - Lübeck
MSN:
247
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a test flight out from Lübeck-Travemünde. While flying along the Dutch coast, the crew encountered problems and lost control of the float plane that crashed into the North Sea some 40 km off Ijmuiden. Quickly on site, the crew of two Belgian and Dutch ships were able to evacuate three crewmen while the fourth was killed. The aircraft sank and was lost.