Country
code

Limburg

Crash of a Pilatus PC-12/47E in Weert: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 2009 at 0824 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
PH-RUL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Budel - Egelsbach
MSN:
1130
YOM:
2009
Flight number:
PHRUL
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
783
Captain / Total hours on type:
84.00
Aircraft flight hours:
95
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Budel-Kempen Airport runway 21 at 0822LT. After liftoff, pilot was instructed to make a left turn and was cleared to climb to 2,000 feet. While flying in clouds, the autopilot was disengaged. The aircraft rolled to the right then entered a steep descent and crashed in an open field located in Weert, east of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and both occupants were killed, among them Paul Evers, Director of Alko International.
Probable cause:
Technical or medical problems could not be ruled out according to Dutch Safety Board. However, it was considered likely that the pilot suffered from spatial disorientation.
Factors were:
- the fact that the autopilot disengaged;
- the high work load following loss of autopilot, during a single-pilot flight;
- the lack of training and experience on advanced aircraft like the PC-12 in manually flying the aircraft in IMC in a non-normal situation.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 414A Chancellor in Maastricht: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1987
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-IGEY
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414A-0480
YOM:
1980
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route, the pilot informed ATC he was short of fuel and elected to divert to Maastricht Airport for an emergency landing. On final, he encountered poor visibility due to low clouds and fog and was forced to initiate a go-around. Few minutes later, while in a second attempt to land, the twin engine aircraft crashed few km from the airport. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was below minimum as estimated between 300-400 meters in fog.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Vilt: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ME321
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mepal - Mepal
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Mepal at 1548LT on a bombing mission to Vohwinkel. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in Vilt. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (75th Squadron)
W/Cdr Raymond John Newton, pilot,
P/O Richard Justin Aitchinson, pilot,
F/Sgt John Stanley Hoskins,
F/Sgt Arthur Lee,
Sgt Martin Brennan, air gunner,
Sgt Victor James Clark,
Sgt Leonard James Cooke,
Sgt Harry Sansome.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in Venlo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1944 at 1545 LT
Operator:
Registration:
FW163
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After bombing roads and bridges in the region of Venlo, the crew was returning to his base in England when he was hit by the German Flak. The captain decided to return to Venlo and attempted to make an emergency landing at Venlo. On final approach, two of the occupants bailed out but the distance between the aircraft and the ground was insufficient thus both crewmen crashed and were killed. Both pilots continued the approach but on landing, the aircraft hit violently the runway surface, went out of control and came to rest in flames. Both pilots were seriously injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A Dakota III in Kessel: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 19, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
KG401
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12436
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft had just dropped its supplies from 700 feet when it was met with intense anti-aircraft fire. The tail unit, rudder, port aileron and engine, the starboard auxiliary fuel tank and all the gyro instruments were either damaged or put out of action, and one of the Army dispatchers was mortally wounded. The captain, F/O L. R. Pattee and his copilot, F/O A. C. Kent, flew the crippled aircraft back to the British lines, through three more areas of enemy flak, where they sustained further serious damage, including a five foot hole in the starboard wing which caught fire, and complete electrical and communications failure. Once over the British lines, Pattee gave the crew and dispatchers the opportunity to bale out, but they refused and the pilots then made a successful belly-landing in the field. No sooner had they all quit the Dakota, than it was engulfed by flames. The unfortunate dispatcher died soon after the landing, while the others were taken to Brussels and the crew returned to RAF Down Ampney.
Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Tienray: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LM465
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Mildenhall in the evening of June 12 on a bombing mission to Gelsenkirchen. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in a field located in Tienray. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Carl Thompson, pilot,
Roderick McMillan, navigator,
Ronald Lemky, flight engineer,
Sgt Jack Trend, radio operator,
Sgt Tom Stubbs, air gunner,
Sgt Duke Pelham, air gunner,
Sgt Dick Mobbs, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-20-BO Flying Fortress in Afferden

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-31510
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6624
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While overflying The Netherlands, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. Aircraft came to rest in a field located in Afferden, Limburg. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all ten occupants escaped.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax in Venray: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
HR799
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route, the bomber was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. Six crew members were able to bail out while two others were killed when the aircraft crashed in a field.
Crew killed were Sgt W. Brown and F/O H. Krohn.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Maasbracht: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1942 at 0110 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7567
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Scampton at 2111LT on August 28 on a bombing mission to Nuremberg, Germany. While overflying The Netherlands by night, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. The aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located in Maasbracht, some 10 km southwest of Roermond. Five crew members were killed while two others were injured.
Crew (49th Squadron):
F/O John Lowrie, pilot, †
W/O J. Allen,
Sgt Reginald Patrick Dobson, †
Sgt G. H. M. Gordon,
Sgt Eric Albert Berrett, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Norman Rae Mitchell, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt William Dudley Peirce. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.