Country
code

Brandenburg

Crash of a Cessna 208 Caravan I in Gransee: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 2019 at 1505 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-FIDI
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Gransee - Gransee
MSN:
208-0301
YOM:
1999
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1553
Captain / Total hours on type:
288.00
Aircraft flight hours:
4066
Aircraft flight cycles:
4983
Circumstances:
At 1448 hrs, the pilot took off from Gransee Special Airfield with the Cessna 208 Caravan to a commercial flight in accordance with visual flight rules. On board were the pilot and 15 skydivers, which were dropped at flight level 130. On this day, the pilot had already conducted three flights dropping skydivers with a total flight time of 48 min. After having dropped the skydivers during the fourth flight, the airplane was last captured by the radar at 1505:49 hrs, during approach to land at the airfield, close to the accident site at about 550 ft AMSL. At the time, ground speed was 168 kt and heading 330°. The Flugleiter stated that he had observed the last phase of the approach. The airplane had been in a left-hand turn with a bank angle of up to 90° close to the ground. He assumed that the pilot might have “overshot” the extended centre line of runway 29 when he entered the final approach coming from the south. Then the airplane had vanished behind the trees. The pilot did not transmit an emergency call. The Flugleiter also stated that with the previous flight he had witnessed a similar manoeuvre. The radar recording of the third flight ended at 1417:54 hrs with a recorded altitude of about 1,400 ft AGL. At the time, ground speed was 168 kt and heading 355°. During both flights the skydivers had been dropped at flight level 130 at a heading of about 300° south of the airfield. After dropping the skydivers, at 1415:07 hrs and at 1502:52 hrs, respectively, the airplane entered a descent with a very high rate of descent and flew in a wide left-hand turn back to the airfield. During the third flight a right-left-hand turn with bank angles of about 50° to 60° occurred during descent.
Probable cause:
The air accident was due to a risky flight manoeuvre close to the ground which resulted in a controlled impact with the ground. The speed during the approach exceeded the operations limitations of the airplane. The approach was not stabilized.
Contributing Human Factors:
- Recurrent acceptance of risky flight manoeuvres close to the ground by the pilot (routine violations),
- Overconfidence and insufficient risk assessment of the pilot.
Contributing Operational Factors:
- Unsuitable wording in the operations manual in regard to approaches after dropping skydivers.
Final Report:

Crash of a Partenavia P.68B Victor near Strausberg: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 2019 at 1155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-GINA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Strausberg - Strausberg
MSN:
59
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
2923
Copilot / Total flying hours:
632
Aircraft flight hours:
5750
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Strausberg Airport at 1100LT on a local training flight, carrying one instructor and one pilot under supervision. About 50 minutes later, while cruising in clouds at an altitude of 1,300 feet, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field located 7,5 km northwest of the airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Saab 2000 in Werneuchen

Date & Time: Jul 10, 2002 at 2042 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HB-IZY
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Basel - Hamburg
MSN:
2000-047
YOM:
1997
Flight number:
LX850
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2600
Captain / Total hours on type:
2350.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1940
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1732
Aircraft flight hours:
12303
Aircraft flight cycles:
12069
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Basel-EuroAirport on a flight to Hamburg with 16 passengers and four crew members on board. While descending to Hamburg, weather conditions deteriorated rapidly and due to thunderstorm activity with heavy rain falls and strong winds, the crew was unable to land at Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel Airport and decided to divert to Bremen. Unfortunately, weather conditions were so poor that the crew was unable to land in Bremen, Hanover and Berlin-Tegel Airport as well. Due to low fuel reserve, the crew informed ATC about his situation and was vectored to Werneuchen, a former Soviet military airfield some 60 km northeast of Berlin. Werneuchen's unlighted runway has a length of 2,400 metres but has no approach aids. ATC warned the crew about the presence of a one metre high earth embankment across the runway, some 900 metres past the runway threshold which was there to avoid illegal car races. The remaining runway was still used for general aviation. Due to limited visibility caused by poor weather conditions, the crew was unable to see and avoid the earth embankment. After landing, the aircraft impacted the earth embankment, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The aircraft slid on its belly for few dozen metres before coming to rest in the middle of the runway. All 20 occupants evacuated the cabin, among them two were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The following findings were identified:
- Dimension and intensity of the storm front and dynamics of the weather conditions,
- Inadequate use of resources in decision-making during the flight (proactive),
- Loss of alternative landing facilities at increasing time pressure (reactive),
- Landing of the aircraft outside the operating area of an aerodrome,
- Collision with the embankment due to the non-detection of an obstacle.
Systemic causes:
- Inadequate information on weather conditions and development before and during the flight,
- Inadequate information on the Werneuchen Special Airfield due to an ambiguous map display as well as misleading or lack of communication,
- Inadequate labeling/marking of the operational and non-operational areas of the airport.
Final Report:

Crash of a Partenavia P.68B Victor in Schönhagen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1996
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
D-GISA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
105
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Schönhagen Airport, the twin engine aircraft collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area short of runway. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 207 Skywagon in Perleberg: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1992
Operator:
Registration:
D-EVAP
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
207-0085
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while completing a survey flight. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2T in Neuhardenberg

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
880
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Heringsdorf – Neuhardenberg – Kamenz
MSN:
1170 473 11
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Heringsdorf to Kamenz with an intermediate stop at Neuhardenberg-Marxwalde Airbase located about 60 km northeast from Berlin. On final approach, the captain instructed the copilot to take over control of the aircraft. The copilot failed to comply with procedures and, from a height of 100 meters, he lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed short of runway. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Sputendorf

Date & Time: May 11, 1982
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-07399
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G150-34
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a spraying mission in Sputendorf when the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed in a field. Both occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-62 in Königs Wusterhausen: 156 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1972 at 1701 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DM-SEA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Berlin - Burgas
MSN:
00702
YOM:
1970
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
148
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
156
Captain / Total flying hours:
8100
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6041
Aircraft flight hours:
3520
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
A hot-air tube in the rear of the airplane had contained a leak for some time. During the operation of the plane hot air with temperatures of around 300 degrees C had caused a weakening of the insulation material of electricity wires and the airplane controls. Immediately after takeoff on the ill-fated flight, a short-circuit occurred. Sparks with a temperature of up to 2000 degrees C caused substantial melting and ultimately a fire in the nr. 4 cargo bay which was located in the rear of the plane. The fire weakened the fuselage structure, causing the tail section to fail in-flight.

Crash of an Avro 685 York C.1 in Kyritz: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-AGNY
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hamburg – Berlin
MSN:
1226
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying at an altitude of 7,500 feet, the engine number one detached from the wing. The pilot-in-command lost control of the aircraft that went into a dive and crashed in a field located in Kyritz. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Cottbus: 11 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Cottbus-Drewitz Airport, while climbing, the three engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames, killing all 11 occupants.