Heidelberg | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The twin engine aircraft was approaching Mannheim Airport following an uneventful flight from Vienna-Schwechat. The pilot encountered poor visibility due to fog and failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft struck a tall tree, stalled and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found on the slope of Mt Königstuhl, east of Heidelberg, about 17 km southeast of Mannheim Airport. A passenger was seriously injured while three other occupants were killed. Two weeks later, on December 7, the only survivor died from his injuries. On board were two pilots aged 34 and 29, and two passengers, Otto Rüdiger and Klaus O. Fleck, both head corporate of the Südzucker Group.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A in Heidelberg: 28 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1991 at 1137 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Classic Wings

Registration:

D-CCCC

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Egelsbach - Egelsbach

MSN:

7353

YOM:

1942

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Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Egelsbach Airport in the middle morning on a local charter flight, carrying 29 passengers and a crew of three, among them a team who should make a TV movie on board. In flight, the captain left his seat and passengers came in the cockpit. The copilot was supposed to follow the Rhine River but distracted by discussions with the passengers, he mistook the Rhine with the Neckar River. Few minutes later, weather conditions deteriorated and the copilot decided to continue instead of returning. At an altitude of about 500 metres, he initiated a left turn when the aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located in the forest of Hoher Nistler, about 5 km northeast of Heidelberg. Four passengers were seriously injured while 28 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the accident occured in IMC conditions and the pilot mistook both Rhine and Neckar rivers while flying at a relative low altitude. The following factors were reported:
- Poor crew coordination,
- The crew failed to return,
- Poor visibility,
- The total weight of the aircraft was above MTOW,
- The CofG was out of permissible limit.

Crash of a De Havilland U-6A Beaver in Heidelberg: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1969

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Heidelberg – Grafenwöhr

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Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from runway 08 at Heidelberg AFB, while climbing, the airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located on the slope of Mt Königstuhl, about 5 km east of the airfield. Both pilots and a passenger were killed while two other passengers were injured.
Those killed were:
Cpt Ronald B. Barlow, pilot,
Cpt Claude R. Grover, copilot,
DAC John F. Irwin.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL near Heidelberg

Date & Time: May 6, 1946

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-15676

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

20142

YOM:

1944

Location:

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Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Enroute, the aircraft collided with another airplane (identification unknown). The crew decided to abandon the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All occupants escaped uninjured while the airplane was destroyed.

Probable cause:

In flight collision.