Sofia-Vrazhdebna | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The three engine aircraft christened 'Gerhard Amann' was approaching Belgrade Airport at an altitude of some 400 meters when it was shot down by the pilots of three enemy fighters and crashed in a field located in Velika Ivanča, south of Belgrade. All five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Stara Pazova: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

D-AOCA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

E17

MSN:

640996

Flight number:

Vienna – Belgrade – Sofia – Thessaloniki – Athens

Location:

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Circumstances:

Few minutes after its take off from Belgrade-Zemun Airfield, while climbing, the aircraft was attacked by an allied fighter. The three engine aircraft was hit in the rear and the starboard and then caught fire. Out of control, it crashed in a field located in Stara Pazova, some 25 km north of Belgrade. Two crew members were seriously injured while all five other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by allied fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mte near Gabrene: 14 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

D-AUXZ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Sofia – Thessaloniki – Athens

MSN:

7172

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Aircraft flight hours:

259

Circumstances:

En route from Sofia to Thessaloniki, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain (1,800 metres high) located south of Gabrene. The wreckage was found near the border with Greece. The airplane named 'Otto von Beaulieu-Marconay' was destroyed and all 14 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Arpad von Pindter, pilot,
Augustin Holz, copilot,
Friedrich Viktor Barthold, radio operator,
Karl-August von Struensee, cabin crew.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-227 in Bucharest

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

YR-PAF

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Bucharest – Sofia

MSN:

1986

YOM:

1937

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Circumstances:

Just after liftoff, the airplane stalled and crashed by the runway. All 18 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was wrecked. The cause of the occurrence remains unknown.

Ground fire of a Lockheed 14H Super Electra in Bucharest

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 14 Super Electra

Operator:

Registration:

SP-BNJ

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Lydda – Athens – Thessaloniki – Sofia – Bucharest – Warsaw

MSN:

1424

YOM:

1938

Location:

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Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight, the crew landed at Bucarest-Băneasa Airport. While taxiing to join his parking place, a sudden fire erupted. The crew stopped the airplane on the taxiway and all seven occupants evacuated safely before the aircraft would be totally destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Undetermined fire during taxiing.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-115D on Mt Mozgovishki Chukar: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1937 at 1150 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-2

Operator:

Registration:

SP-ASJ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Lydda - Athens – Thessaloniki – Sofia – Warsaw

MSN:

1318

YOM:

1934

Location:

Mt Mozgovishki Chukar

Blagoevgrad

Country:

Bulgaria

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Lydda on a flight to Warsaw with intermediate stops in Athens, Thessaloniki and Sofia, carrying three passengers and three crew members. The airplane departed Thessaloniki Airport at 1115LT bound for Sofia. At 1146LT, the radio operator informed ground about his position at an altitude of 3,000 metres and reported poor weather conditions. A last message was recorded four minutes later then communications ceased. As the airplane failed to arrive in Sofia, SAR operations were initiated and more than 2,000 people took part in the operations. The wreckage was found four days later on the south slope of Mt Mozgovishki Chukar, at an altitude of 2,600 metres, some 40 km northeast of Petritch. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and all six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Tadeusz Dmoszynski, pilot,
Marian Vinnik, radio operator,
Rishard Valentukevich, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.