Date & Time:
May 16, 1943 at 0020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Dornier DO.217
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Gilze-Rijen - Gilze-Rijen
MSN:
4208
YOM:
1941
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Gilze-Rijen AFB on an operational sortie. While cruising at night, it collided with the 'Südmast' radio antenna (100 metres high) located in Groet and crashed. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Obfw J. Gollan, pilot,
Uffz W. Schmidt, observer,
Uffz J. Schneibel, radio operator,
Gefr H. Balling, air gunner.
Crew:
Obfw J. Gollan, pilot,
Uffz W. Schmidt, observer,
Uffz J. Schneibel, radio operator,
Gefr H. Balling, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Crew error.
