Berlin-Schönefeld

Few minutes after takeoff from Leipzig-Halle Airport, en route to Kraków, Poland, the pilot informed ATC about technical problems and was cleared to divert to Berlin-Schönefeld Airport. The airplane landed hard on runway 25L and after touchdown, was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The four engine aircraft departed Berlin-Schönefeld Airport at 1630LT on a charter flight to Burgas, carrying 148 passengers (144 East German citizens, three Austrians and one unknown nationality) and eight East-German crew members. Thirteen minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 29,200 feet, the crew informed ATC about technical problems and was cleared to return to Berlin. The dumping fuel system was activated at 1651LT and three minutes later, as the situation worsened, the captain started an emergency descent. At 1659LT, he informed ATC that he was losing control of the airplane and declared a fire on board. Shortly later, the empennage detached and totally out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a wooded area located in Königs Wusterhausen, about 11 km southeast of Berlin-Schönefeld Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and none of the 156 occupants survived the crash. Up to date, this was the worst aircraft crash in the European History.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport when an unidentified technical problems occurred in flight and forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest in flames. While all three crew members escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft departed Berlin-Schönefeld Airport at 1357LT on a charter flight to Constata with an intermediate stop in Budapest, carrying 28 passengers and a crew of five. Fourteen minutes after takeoff, while cruising at an altitude of 2,400 meters above the clouds, the left magneto failed due to a broken electrical wire. Overcharged, the right magneto failed shortly later, causing the failure of all electrical systems. The battery became shortly empty, causing the heating system and the deicing system to fail as well. Some circuit breakers also failed and in such conditions, the captain decided to divert to Dresden-Klotzsche Airport for an emergency landing. Due to the failure of the radio communication systems, the crew was unable to contact ATC and in poor weather conditions, it was impossible for the pilot to locate the airport of Dresden. The captain eventually attempted an emergency landing in a field located in Königsbrück. The aircraft belly landed near a military barrack, slid for several yards and came to rest. All 33 occupants evacuated the cabin and only two passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

On final approach to Warsaw-Okecie Airport, following an uneventful flight from Berlin-Schönefeld Airport, the crew received the permission to land. 46 seconds later, while at an altitude of 60-70 meters, the four engine aircraft stalled and crashed in a snow covered field located 1,335 meters short of runway 33 threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 33 occupants were killed.

While approaching Berlin-Schönefeld Airport, the airplane was too low and struck the top of the Bohnsdorf church, crashed and burst into flames three km from the airfield. Three crew members were killed and three others were injured. For undetermined reason, the crew was approaching the airport at an insufficient altitude.

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near Berlin-Schönefeld Airport while performing a local training exercise. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Friedrich Bardischewski, pilot,
Gefr Ulrich Witte, radio operator,
Gefr Nikolai Birkenhold, radio operator,
Gefr Rudolf-Kurt Büttner, radio operator.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the vicinity of the airfield. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Hans Wex, pilot,
Fw Werner Liebscher, mechanic.

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 2026LT on April 17 on an operation to Berlin. Approaching the target at night, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in the vicinity of Berlin-Schönefeld Airport. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Philip Johnson Church, pilot,
Sgt Edgar Ian Pocock, pilot,
Sgt John Stafford Bools, observer,
Sgt Alfred Francis Tweed, wireless operator,
P/O William Lawton Boon, air gunner.