Crash of a Douglas C-47A-60-DL in Palermo: 24 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1945 at 2000 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-24363
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Athens - Naples
MSN:
10225
YOM:
1943
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
24
Circumstances:
About an hour prior to his scheduled arrival time in Naples, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility due to clouds. The radio navigator informed ground that he lost his orientation and he was unable to locate his position. The aircraft then deviated from the prescribed flight path by about 300 km to the southwest. Later, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 800 meters from the airport of Boccadifalco, west of Palermo. A passenger survived and was evacuated to a local hospital while 24 other occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, there were strato-cumulus at an altitude of 600 meters, fracto-cumulus at an altitude of 300 meters and 5 km visibility.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Eretria: 16 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1944 at 1710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-AWAS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thessaloniki - Athens
MSN:
6561
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
Christened 'Joachim Blankenburg', the aircraft left Thessaloniki Airport at 1620LT bound for Athens. Some 41 minutes later, the radio navigator informed ATC that he was returning to Thessaloniki. Five minutes later, he announced that pilot reduced his altitude, that he was flying over the sea at a height of 30 meters and that he was encountering technical problems with the engines. A Pan message was sent few seconds later and eventually, the aircraft disappeared four minutes later and probably crashed into the South Euboean Gulf. SAR operations did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the 16 occupants.

Crash of a Fiat G.12 off Gavdos Island

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-FELI
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tobruk – Athens
MSN:
18
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Tobruk to Athens, the crew encountered technical problems with the fuel supply system. The captain attempted to ditch the aircraft off Gavdos Island, south of Crete. All occupants were rescued while the aircraft was lost. The aircraft was carrying the military registration MM60666 as well.
Crew:
Cpt Fenili.
Probable cause:
Failure of the fuel supply system.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.83 in Athens: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-ANDE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Athens – Rome
MSN:
34011
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft crashed on take off from Athens Airport while on a flight to Rome, Italy. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Armando Fioretti, pilot,
Lt Amato Gennaro, radio operator,
Mr. Navarra, flight engineer.

Crash of a Dornier DO.24T-2 off Friedrichshafen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CH+EY
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Friedrichshafen - Athens
MSN:
033
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Friedrichshafen, en route to Athens, the floatplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Bodensee. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Wilhelm Arndt, pilot,
Fw Josef Wute, observer,
Ofw Karl Lierse, radio operator,
Ogfr Albert Feichert, air gunner,
Uffz Johann Wehling, air gunner,
Hgefr Hans Wald, air gunner.

Crash of a Farman F.222.2 in Athens

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L-225
Flight Type:
MSN:
30
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered a landing accident in Athens. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed 10A Electra on Mt Olympus: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YU-SBA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Belgrade – Athens
MSN:
1123
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Belgrade on a special mission to Athens, carrying six passengers and two crew members. While cruising at night, the crew encountered limited visibility when the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Olympus (2,918 metres) located northeast of Elassona. The wreckage was found few days later. All eight occupants were killed, among them the Serbian Historian Vladimir Ćorović who was going into exile in Greece due to the recent invasion of Yugoslavia. He was accompanied with other members of the Serbian Government and members of the Royal Family.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF near Athens: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
K7095
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
8048
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Engaged in an aerial combat at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a JU.88 and crashed northwest of Athens, bursting into flames. A crew was killed and a second was injured.
Crew:
S/L R. A. Milward, pilot,
Sgt John Crooks, wireless operator. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat off Athens: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1937
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADVC
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Alexandria – Athens
MSN:
S.820
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The approach to the harbor of Phaleron in Athens was initiated in excellent weather conditions with sun, no wind and a calm sea. The float plane named 'Courtier' landed hard, broke off and sank. Three passengers drowned and 11 other occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the the pilot-in-command may have suffered an optical illusion while trying to land on a mirror like sea.

Crash of an Avro 504 in Marousi: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tatoi AFB - Tatoi AFB
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was performing a local training flight out from Tatoi AFB. In unknown circumstances, the single engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in Marousi, 7 km south of Tatoi AFB, killing the pilot.