Country
code

Namur

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter near Namur: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 2013 at 1535 LT
Operator:
Registration:
OO-NAC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Namur - Namur
MSN:
710
YOM:
1969
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Captain / Total flying hours:
2919
Captain / Total hours on type:
332.00
Aircraft flight hours:
16159
Aircraft flight cycles:
34903
Circumstances:
On 19 October 2013, the Pilatus Porter was being used for parachute drops. The day started normally with the first take-off at 07:21. Each flight transported 9 or 10 passengers. Except for the first two, all the flights of that day were conducted by the same pilot. The aircraft’s last landing in EBNM was at 13:20 to board the next group of 10 parachutists. After the take-off, the aircraft appeared again on the radar at 13:28 at an altitude of 1200 ft. At 13:28:52, the EBCI Air Traffic Control Officer (ATCO) instructed the aircraft to remain at 2000 ft AMSL to allow for crossing traffic, a B737 landing at EBCI, and to proceed further to the east. After the crossing, the Pilatus was authorized to climb to 5000 ft. At 13:33:32, when the aeroplane was flying at 4400 ft, the pilot was authorized to turn back to the drop zone and turned towards its target, the EBNM airfield. Shortly after, a witness observed the aeroplane making a wide turn to the left. This witness monitored the aeroplane for about 40 seconds. He indicated the engine was making an abnormal noise which he compared with the explosions made by the exhaust of a rally car when decelerating. Finally, the witness heard a loud explosion ending by the dive of the aeroplane. He believed that the sound of an explosion was caused by the “engine turbine disintegration”. Another witness driving on the E42 highway saw the aeroplane performing what he perceived as being some aerobatic manoeuvers. The aeroplane was diving and was spinning. A moment later, he saw the wing break-up, including the separation and falling of smaller parts. A sailplane pilot was standing in his garden not far from the crash site. He first heard the sound of the Pilatus which he described as being typical, smooth and constant. He looked at the aeroplane and noticed it was flying at a lower altitude than usual. He stopped observing after a few seconds. 30 to 40 seconds later, he heard an abnormal noise change which he thought was a propeller pitch change or an engine power change. He looked for the aeroplane in the sky and saw the aeroplane diving with an angle of more than 45° immediately followed by a sharp pull-out angle of over 70°, followed by the upwards breaking of a wing. The aeroplane went down “as in a stall”. The witness still heard “the sound of propeller angle moving” after the wing separation. Another witness standing approximately at an horizontal distance of 600 m from the aeroplane described having heard a sound change. He looked at the aeroplane and saw the aeroplane flying horizontally, making several significant left and right roll movements of the wings before it disappearing from his view. The aeroplane crashed on a field in the territory of Gelbressée, killing all occupants. The aeroplane caught fire shortly after the impact. A big part of the left wing, elements thereof and the right sliding door of the cabin were found at 2 km from the main wreckage. Of the aircraft’s occupants, 4 parachutists were ejected from the aircraft just prior to impact.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident is a structural failure of the left wing due to a significant negative g aerodynamic overload, leading to an uncontrollable aeroplane and subsequent crash. The most probable cause of the wing failure is the result of a manoeuvre intended by the pilot, not properly conducted and ending with an involuntary negative g manoeuvre, exceeding the operating limitations of the aeroplane.
Contributing safety factors:
• The weakness of the monitoring of the aeroplane operations by the operator.
• The lack of organizational structure between the operator and the parachute club [safety issue].
Other safety factors identified during the investigation:
• The performance of aerobatics manoeuvre with an aircraft not certified to perform such manoeuvres.
• The performance of aerobatics manoeuvre by a pilot not adequately qualified and/or trained to perform such manoeuvres.
• Transportation of unrestrained passengers, not sitting on seat during dangerous phase of the flight.
• The weakness of the legal framework and guidance for aerial work [safety issue].
• The lack of effective oversight of aerial work operations by the BCAA [safety issue].
• The lack of mandatory requirement to install devices recording flight data on board aeroplane used for parachuting [safety issue].
• Insufficient back protection for the pilot [safety issue].
• No easy determination of the weight and balance of the aeroplane due to the passengers not sitting in predetermined positions [safety issue].
• The issuing by BCAA of two distinct authorizations to the aeroplane operator and the parachute club incorporating some overlaps, which does not encourage the awareness of responsibility of the stakeholders involved [safety issue].
• Possible erroneous interpretation of the maintenance manual [safety issue].
• Violations and/or safety occurrences not reported as required by the Circular GDF-04, preventing the BCAA from taking appropriate action.
• Peer pressure of parachutists sometimes encouraging pilots to perform manoeuvres not approved for normal category aeroplanes.
• Flying at high altitude without oxygen breathing system although required by regulation.
Final Report:

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter in Namur: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 2002 at 1545 LT
Registration:
OO-NAP
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Namur - Namur
MSN:
914
YOM:
1995
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane was engaged in a local skydiving flight at Namur-Temploux Airfield, carrying 10 skydivers and one pilot. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled from the tail and crashed near the runway end. A passenger was killed while 10 other occupants were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The Swiss manufacturer Pilatus had informed all operators of this type of aircraft for several years now about the use of the trim system. Several accidents involving Pilatus PC-6's in recent years had been attributed to errors made by pilots not positioning the stabilizers in the correct position for takeoff. Here again, investigations revealed that the pilot positioned the stabilizers in an angle that contributed to the stall of the aircraft.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford II at Florennes AFB

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
O-12
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Florennes - Florennes
MSN:
821
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the twin engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford MK.2 in Falaen

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
O-29
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Florennes - Florennes
MSN:
3423
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. Both pilots were uninjured.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford in Saint-Gérard: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
O-24
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1050
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing both crew members.
Crew:
Maj Martin Wilmots,
1st Lt Hayt.

Source & photo:
http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/post_ww2/Airspeed Oxford/airspeed_oxford frontpage.htm

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in Namur

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-70500
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
765
YOM:
1945
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff for unknown reason. The pilot, sole on board, was injured, and the single engine aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Onoz

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
P1201
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Swinderby - Swinderby
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Swinderby at 1840LT on a 'Rover' patrol mission over the area of Aachen. While returning to base at night, the pilot was flying at low height when the airplane collided with a chimney stack, tearing off the lower section of the fuselage and breaking the fuel supply. With the engines out, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in Onoz. All four crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O John Donald Cordwell,
P/O James Anthony Cathcart Gordon,
Sgt Edward Holt,
Sgt Mowbray Norman Stokes.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Daussois: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
Z6801
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
MSN:
2161
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming on an operation to Nuremberg. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Daussois, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Roger Llewellyn Lloyd, pilot,
Sgt Wilfred Edward Mortimer, pilot,
Sgt John Alterson, observer,
F/Sgt Cyril Garfield Taylor, wireless operator,
Sgt David Gordon Robb, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Dinant: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9981
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell on an operation to Nuremberg. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in the vicinity of Dinant. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Paul Burton Chamberlain, pilot,
Sgt Douglas Cecil Holley, pilot,
P/O Joseph Allan Robinson, observer,
Sgt Francis Edward Austin, wireless operator,
Sgt Raymond George Butt, wireless operator,
Sgt John Richard Ashley, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Mariembourg: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1941 at 2345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6047
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton in the evening on an operation to Nurnberg. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Mariembourg, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Harold Mohr-Bell, pilot,
P/O Victor Charles Henry Colbourne, pilot,
Sgt Sidney Bentley, flight engineer,
P/O Thomas Edward Wootton, observer,
Sgt Ivor Llewellyn Evans, wireless operator,
Sgt Bernard William Wareham, wireless operator,
Sgt George Joseph Goodwin, air gunner,
Sgt Frederick Alexander Lamb, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.