Country
code

Thuringia

Crash of a Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 602P) in Erfurt: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1997
Registration:
D-IAPB
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
62-0872-8165010
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching Erfurt-Weimar Airport. The wreckage was found 3 km from the airport. All four occupants were killed, three Swiss and one German.

Crash of a Rockwell CT-39A Sabreliner in Vogelsberg: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1964 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-4448
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wiesbaden - Wiesbaden
MSN:
276-1
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Wiesbaden-Erbenheim AFB at 1401LT for a training flight along the border between East Germany and West Germany. For unknown reason, the twin engine aircraft penetrated the East German Airspace without permission and was quickly intercepted and shut down by the pilots of two East German MiG-19 fighters. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed on the Bonifacius hill located in Vogelsberg. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Col Hannaford,
Cpt Lorraine,
Cpt Millard.
Probable cause:
Shut down by East German Air Force fighters.

Crash of a Douglas C-54E-5-DO Skymaster in Heroldishausen: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 4, 1949 at 1659 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-9086
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wiesbaden – Berlin
MSN:
27312
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route from Wiesbaden-Erbenheim to Berlin-Tempelhof, taking part to the Berlin Airlift, an engine caught fire. The captain ordered his crew and both passengers to bail out. After these four people evacuated the cabin, he reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing in a field. Unfortunately, the aircraft crashed in flames in a field located in Heroldishausen, northwest of Bad Langensalza. The aircraft was destroyed and the captain was killed. The four other occupants were uninjured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that an hydraulic line failed in flight, causing the fluid to flow into the engine and to catch fire while contacting high temperature parts of the engine.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-DL in Bad Langensalza ALG: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 14, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
43-30728
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
13879
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near the Bad Langensalza Advanced Landing Ground, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
1st Lt Richard C. Mervyn,
T/Sgt Jack Sims,
F/O Franklin Park Totten.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Wenigenlupnitz ALG: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1945 at 1225 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-101020
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dreux - Wenigenlupnitz
MSN:
19483
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On approach to Wenigenlupnitz Advanced Landing Ground, control personal on ground shot a red flare. The pilot abandoned the approach and started a go around. Few seconds later, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in flames in a field. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpl Michael P. Barbero,
1st Lt Robert I. Franzen,
2nd Lt Robert H. Maneman,
Cpt Merril A. Meaker,
S/Sgt C. A. Smith.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of a German fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-105-BO Flying Fortress in Eisenberg: 18 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
43-39149
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a bombing mission over an oil refinery located in Lützkendorf. Enroute, while approaching Eisenberg, the B-17 registered 43-39149 collided with a second USAAF B-17 registered 42-31060 and also carrying a crew of 9. The first B-17 went out of control, dove into the ground and crash in the city of Eisenberg. Eight crew members were killed and ten people on the ground as well. Only one crew member survived. The second B-17 flew to the east over 400 km and then crashed in a field in Jaraczewo, Poland. Five crew were killed and four others were injured.
Crew of 43-39149:
2nd Lt Robert J. Barrat, pilot, †
F/O Shirl P. Best, navigator, †
2nd Lt Dean Harvey, copilot, †
S/Sgt William T. Karp, †
S/Sgt Matthew Lazarowicz, radio operator, †
Sgt Louis N. Linhart, air gunner, †
Sgt Herbert D. Link, air gunner, †
Sgt George H. Emerson, air gunner,
S/Sgt Raymond F. Reiss, flight engineer. †

Crew of 42-31060:
Sgt Marion L. Canfield, air gunner, †
Sgt Floyd C. Doherty Jr., air gunner, †
F/O Odus C. Litzelfelner, copilot, †
1st Lt Alfred K. Nemer, pilot, †
Sgt Peter M. Volpini, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Harry H. Schultz, navigator,
T/Sgt Howard H. Ganson,
Sgt Floyd S. Bohrer, air gunner,
Sgt Paul L. Kerr, air gunner.

Crash of a Junkers W.34 in Erfurt: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1942 at 1135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Erfurt
MSN:
0542
YOM:
1928
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a local training exercise at Erfurt-Bindersleben Airport when it suffered an engine failure and crashed. Two crew members were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
Hptm Ludwig Schwarz, pilot, †
Fw Friedrich Krell, radio operator, †
Uffz Heinrich Schmidt, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111 in Mengersgereuth-Hämmern: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1941 at 1505 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
5423
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Mengersgereuth-Hämmern, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Oblt Martin Krause, pilot,
Gefr Herbert Rosenzopf, observer,
UIffz Karl-Wilhelm Hildebrandt, radio operator,
Uffz Helmut Latzke, mechanic.

Crash of a Junkers W.34 in Oberhof: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NG+LB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3063
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane crashed near Oberhof. A crew member was killed and two others were injured.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H3 in Weimar-Nohra: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, the airplane went out of control and crashed in an open field, bursting into flames. A crewman was injured while both other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Kurt Heine, †
Uffz Karl Klein, †
Fw Alfred Füllgrabe.