Date & Time: Sep 6, 1971 at 1821 LT
Type of aircraft:
BAc 111
Operator:
Registration:
D-ALAR
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hanover – Hamburg – Málaga
MSN:
207
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
DR112
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
115
Pax fatalities:
21
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 34 at Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel Airport, while climbing to an altitude of 1,000 feet, both engine stopped almost simultaneously (the right engine failed immediately after the left engine). The crew declared an emergency and the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing on the Hamburg - Kiel Highway. On touchdown, the airplane slid for several yards, struck a concrete bridge, lost its wings and tail. It veered to the left and came to rest in flames, broken in two after the cockpit separated. A crew member and 21 passengers were killed while all others occupants escaped, 45 of them were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the engine failure was the consequence of a problem that occurred on the cooling system. Investigations were able to determine that the tanks coupled to this cooling system should normally be filled with water. However, as a result of a handling error, these tanks were filled with Jet A1. As a result, the engines could not be cooled properly, overheated and failed during initial climb.