Date & Time:
Mar 7, 1931 at 1615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rohrbach Ro.VIII Roland
Operator:
Registration:
D-1338
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Amsterdam – Hanover – Berlin
MSN:
40
YOM:
1928
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport at 1550LT on a flight to Berlin with an intermediate stop in Hanover, carrying five passengers and three crew members. While cruising northeast of Almelo, thick white smoke spread in the cabin and the captain decided to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft landed in an open field located in Tubbergen and came to rest, bursting into flames. All eight occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.
Crew:
A. Künstle, pilot,
F. Zimmerman, engineer,
Mr. Seiffert, radio navigator.
Passengers:
Mr. Holtz,
Mr. Hapborn,
Mr. Herath,
Mr. Wuster,
Mr. Carr.
Crew:
A. Künstle, pilot,
F. Zimmerman, engineer,
Mr. Seiffert, radio navigator.
Passengers:
Mr. Holtz,
Mr. Hapborn,
Mr. Herath,
Mr. Wuster,
Mr. Carr.
Probable cause:
It was not clearly determined what was the origin of the fire. It is possible that fire started by a heating pipe or was caused by a short-circuit that occurred in the radio electrical system. These assumptions have not been proven while investigators are almost certain that the fire broke out under the pilot's seat.
