Belgian Air Force - Force Aérienne Belge - Belgische Luchtmacht

Britten-Norman Islander

The crew was completing a local training flight at Braasschaat AFB. For unknown reasons, the twin engine aircraft landed hard and bounced several times before coming to rest on the runway. Both pilots escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

The aircraft was chartered by the Dutch Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht) to fly the Dutch Air Force's brass band from Italy back to the Netherlands. The transport plane arrived at Verona-Villafranca at 13:33. Forty passengers boarded the plane and at 15:04 the Hercules took off from Villafranca for a short flight to Rimini, where it landed at 15:31. Three passengers deplaned at Rimini and the Hercules was back in the air at 15:55 heading for Eindhoven. The Hercules descended into Eindhoven and contacted Eindhoven Tower at 18:00. Eindhoven Tower cleared the flight for the approach: "Okay, you may continue descent for 1000, as number one in traffic, for a direct final course runway 04, QNH 1027." After reported the runway in sight, the Hercules was cleared to land: "610 is cleared to land runway 04, the wind from 360° 10 knots." Possibly as a result of the presence of a large number of birds near the runway, the copilot initiated a go around. Birds were ingested by both left hand engines (n°1 and 2), causing both engines to lose power. For reasons unknown the crew shut down engine n°3 and feathered the propeller. The plane then turned left and crashed off the left side of the runway. Within seconds a fire erupted which was fed by the oxygen from the airplane's oxygen system. Some emergency exits in the main cabin were unreachable because of the fire while other exits could not be opened because of twisting of the fuselage. The fact that there were a large number of passengers on board the plane was not immediately clear tot the fire fighters. It took some 23 minutes before passengers were noted in the main cabin.

Swearingen SA226T Merlin III

The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Lille-Lesquin Airport and was completing several touch-and-go maneuvers. On final approach, just prior to touchdown, the airplane went out of control and crashed onto the runway. It was damaged beyond repair and both pilots were killed. Crew: Jean-Claude Timmermans, student pilot, Étienne Lemmens, instructor.

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

While completing a training flight at low height with three paratroopers and a crew of five on board, the airplane struck a hill and crashed. All eight occupants were killed.

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

The aircraft departed Brussels-Melsbroek Airport in the morning on a flight to Gütersloh Airbase, Germany. Approaching Augustdorf, the captain decided to reduce his altitude to 2,500 feet to make a reconnaissance of the military training camp of Senne located 7 km south of Augustdorf. At this time, British troops were engaged in local exercices consisting of mortar shell fire. While flying too low, the aircraft was struck by several mortar shell and caught fire. Nine passengers were able to bail out and were later recovered uninjured. Out of control, the airplane went into a dive and crashed in flames, killing all 38 remaining occupants. It was reported few days after this tragic event that the aircraft should never being in this area at this time as it has been previously delimited by the British Troops for scheduled exercices. For unknown reason, the crew failed to follow the minimum safe altitude that was fixed at 10,000 feet over the area that day.

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

The airplane left Chièvres Airbase with a second C-119 registered CP-25 for a local combined training exercise. While flying in the vicinity of the airfield, both aircraft collided and crashed in a field located in Montignies-lez-Lens, some 6 km east of the airbase. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 13 crew members were killed. Crew CP-23: Cpt Jules Gerard, Cpt Albert Vermeerbergen, Cdt André Bolle, Adj Gilbert Deneef, S/Maj David Vandemeersche Crew CP-25: Sgt José Decaigny, Adj Alfred Donckier, Cpt Yvan Passchiersens, Sgt Camille Bauvois, Adj Gilbert François, Adj Romeo Decot, Sgt Raoul Depoorter, S/Maj Florimont Delroeux.

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

The airplane left Chièvres Airbase with a second C-119 registered CP-23 for a local combined training exercise. While flying in the vicinity of the airfield, both aircraft collided and crashed in a field located in Montignies-lez-Lens, some 6 km east of the airbase. Both aircraft were destroyed and all 13 crew members were killed. Crew CP-23: Cpt Jules Gerard, Cpt Albert Vermeerbergen, Cdt André Bolle, Adj Gilbert Deneef, S/Maj David Vandemeersche Crew CP-25: Sgt José Decaigny, Adj Alfred Donckier, Cpt Yvan Passchiersens, Sgt Camille Bauvois, Adj Gilbert François, Adj Romeo Decot, Sgt Raoul Depoorter, S/Maj Florimont Delroeux.

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

An engine failed in flight. Due to the combination of an engine out and a high OAT, the crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude despite full power on the remaining engine. The airplane lost speed and height and eventually stalled before crashing on the slope of a mountain located near Kivu Lake. All three crew members and 36 passengers were killed while four passengers were injured.

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

The tire on the right main gear burst during takeoff roll. The right main gear collapsed and the aircraft veered off runway to the right before coming to rest. Both pilots were unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

The approach to Paulis Airport (now Isiro) was completed in high cross winds. On touchdown, the airplane registered K-18 and OT-CWH swerved on runway, veered to the right, lost its right main gear and came to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.