Crash of a Tupolev TU-154A off Beirut: 60 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1975 at 0240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-154
Operator:
Registration:
HA-LCI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Budapest - Beirut
MSN:
74A053
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
MA240
Location:
Beirut
Beirut Governorate
Country:
Lebanon
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
50
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
60
Aircraft flight hours:
1186
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Budapest, the crew was cleared to descend to an altitude of 6,000 feet. By night, the airplane went out of control and crashed in unclear circumstances into the Mediterranean Sea about 10 km off Beirut. Debris were found floating on water and none of the 60 occupants survived. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were considered as good.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. At the time of the accident, the ILS system was out of service.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134 in Istanbul

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-134
Operator:
Registration:
HA-LBA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Budapest - Istanbul
MSN:
8 35 06 04
YOM:
1968
Location:
Istanbul-Atatürk
Marmara Region (Marmara Bölgesi)
Country:
Turkey
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew completed the approach in rain falls. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance and overran. While contacting soft ground, the left main gear and the nose gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest down a bank. All occupants escaped uninjured except the navigator who was seating in the nose of the airplane.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-14P in Königsbrück

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1963 at 1550 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-14
Operator:
Registration:
DM-SBL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Berlin – Budapest – Constanta
MSN:
6 34 12 06
YOM:
1956
Location:
Königsbrück
Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
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.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Budapest: 30 killed

Date & Time: Aug 6, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
HA-TSA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Budapest - Budapest
MSN:
20492
YOM:
1944
Location:
Budapest
Budapest City District
Country:
Hungary
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a local sightseeing flight over Budapest when descending to Ferihegy Airport, the airplane crashed onto a building and was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All 27 occupants and three people on the ground were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was caused by carelessness on the part of the crew. The commission said the pilots had two friends in the cabin during the whole flight and the pilots had performed various forbidden maneuvers and in one sharp turn, lost control of the aircraft.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2P in Polná

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1954 at 1515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
HA-LIF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Budapest – Prague – Berlin
MSN:
184 256 04
YOM:
1951
Location:
Polná
Vysočina Region (Vysočina)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Budapest to Prague, the crew encountered icing conditions and subsequently some difficulties. The captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing near Polná. Upon landing in a snow covered field, the airplane lost its undercarriage and slid for dozen yards before coming to rest with both wings bent. All 33 occupants were evacuated and a Finnish female passenger was seriously injured.

Crash of a Lisunov LI-2P in Bratroňov

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1954 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lisunov LI-2
Operator:
Registration:
HA-LII
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Budapest – Prague
MSN:
184 270 06
YOM:
1951
Location:
Bratroňov
Pardubice Region (Pardubický kraj)
Country:
Czech Republic
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Budapest to Prague, the crew encountered icing conditions and subsequently some difficulties. The captain decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing near Bratroňov, south of Pardubice. The aircraft belly landed in a snow covered field and slid for dozen yards before coming to rest with its left engine sheared off. All 19 occupants were uninjured.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mte near Bukovac: 17 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
D-AYGX
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Vienna – Budapest – Belgrade – Sofia – Thessaloniki – Athens
MSN:
7208
YOM:
1941
Location:
Bukovac
Vojvodina
Country:
Serbia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
While passing over Novi Sad, descending to Belgrade-Zemun Airport, the captain encountered marginal weather conditions with low clouds. Some five km east of Bukovac, the three-engine airplane named 'Johannes Höroldt' impacted the north slope of Mt Fruška Gora (380 metres high). The wreckage was found less than 30 metres below the summit and all 17 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain. It appears that weather information transmitted to the crew were erroneous and did not reflect the reality. At the time of the accident, the cloud base was lower than the 600-metres base previously announced.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Budapest

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
6089
YOM:
1938
Location:
Budapest
Budapest City District
Country:
Hungary
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Budapest and was destroyed. At least one crew member was injured, Ofw Otto Wolf, mechanic.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mg3e in Oradea: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
HA-JUA
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Oradea – Budapest
MSN:
5523
YOM:
1936
Location:
Oradea
Bihor
Country:
Romania
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Oradea Airport, while climbing, the three engine aircraft named 'Kaszala Károly' stalled and crashed near the runway end, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. Four passengers were injured and 12 other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Mihály Dúló,
Tibor Küpri,
Károly Zsimkó.

Crash of a Junkers JU.90A-1 in Brauna: 29 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1940 at 1502 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.90
Operator:
Registration:
D-AVMF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Berlin – Budapest
MSN:
900010
YOM:
1940
Location:
Brauna
Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane named 'Brandenburg' departed Berlin-Tempelhof Airport at 1424LT on a schedule service to Budapest, carrying 23 passengers and six crew members. At 1448LT, the radio operator informed ground he was flying at an altitude of 2,200 metres in clouds and reported icing conditions two minutes later. Then the airplane initiated a descent and uncontrolled manoeuvres when it eventually crashed in an open field located some 300 metres from Brauna. All 29 occupants were killed, among them the German Musician and Journalist Adolf Raskin.
Probable cause:
The cause of the crash is believed by the Accident Investigation Board to be icing between the external balance and the elevator fin end cap and blockage of the altitude control system in the depressed position, which, together with the severe degradation of flight characteristics due to the thickness of the ice, made it impossible to control the aircraft. About 30 minutes after the accident, a layer of 15 to 20 millimetres of ice was still present on critical surfaces.
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