Junkers JU.52

JU-Air

At 16:14 on 4 August 2018, the historic Junkers Ju 52/3m g4e commercial aircraft, registered as HB-HOT and operated by Ju-Air, took off from Locarno Aerodrome (LSZL) for a commercial VFR flight to Dübendorf (LSMD). On this flight, pilot A was sitting in the left-hand seat in the cockpit and piloting the aircraft as the commander, while pilot B was assisting him as the co-pilot sitting on the right. Following take-off from concrete runway 26R westwards and a 180-degree turn over Lake Maggiore, the flight led into the Blenio valley via Bellinzona and Biasca. HB-HOT steadily gained altitude in the process. North of Olivone, the aircraft turned into the valley of the Lago di Luzzone reservoir and thus into the Adula/Greina/Medels/Vals countryside preservation quiet zone. This zone was crossed at between 120 and 300 m above ground and at times with a minimal lateral separation from the terrain. At 16:45, as the aircraft was flying over Alp Nadels, the ISP sent a text message to a friend in Ruschein (municipality of Ilanz) to say that the Ju 52 was approaching the area. The flight subsequently continued eastwards into the Surselva region at approximately 2,500 m AMSL. At 16:51, the aircraft crossed the Vorderrhein valley in the region of Ilanz on a north-easterly heading and initially made a relatively tight left turn, taking it over Ruschein. The flight path then led generally northwards past the Crap Sogn Gion mountain and towards the basin south-west of Piz Segnas. At first, the aircraft approached this basin on the left-hand, western side of the valley. HB-HOT was climbing at this time, and reached an altitude of 2,833 m AMSL in the Nagens region. The aircraft made a slight right turn when flying past the Berghaus Nagens lodge (see figure 2). During this phase, at 16:55, one of the pilots informed the passengers of the scenery over the speakers in the cabin and through the passengers’ personal headphones. To start with, the aircraft was flying at a ground speed of 165 km/h during this phase. By point F2, the ground speed had decreased to 135 km/h, and roughly remained so until shortly before point F3. Towards point F3, the aircraft’s altitude dropped slightly and the ground speed briefly increased by around 65 km/h to approximately 200 km/h. During this time, its pitch attitude3 was 5 to 7 degrees. Towards the end of this phase, just before point F4, the flight path angle4 changed from -3 degrees to approximately -1 degree and the speed of each of the three engines decreased steadily by approximately 20 revolutions per minute (rpm). At point F4, the aircraft was at an altitude of 2,742 m AMSL. At 16:56:02, shortly after point F4, the speed of each of the three engines increased by approximately 40 rpm. At 16:56:09, HB-HOT entered the basin southwest of Piz Segnas at an altitude of 2,755 m AMSL (point F5, see also figure 14) and was therefore approximately 130 m above the elevation of the Segnes pass. The flight crew then navigated the aircraft on a north-north-easterly heading almost in the centre of the valley. HB-HOT climbed slightly during this phase and its flight path angle was approximately 2 degrees; its pitch angle remained at 5 to 7 degrees. At 16:56:17, the aircraft reached an altitude of 2,767 m AMSL at point F7 and was therefore approximately 140 m above the elevation of the Segnes pass. HB-HOT flew past the Tschingelhörner mountain peaks and began to reduce in altitude, dropping more than 15 m in approximately 6 seconds. During this phase, the power of the engines was rapidly reduced by 30 to 50 rpm, which meant that the engines were increasingly running at a similar speed5 . During this process, the pitch angle increased and the flight path angle continuously became more negative. When the aircraft was approximately abeam the Martinsloch and at an altitude of approximately 2,766 m AMSL (point F8), the flight crew initiated a right turn during their descent and then made a left turn (point F109, see figure 5). The ground speed was approximately 170 km/h and the difference between the aircraft’s pitch and flight path angles increased to approximately 15 degrees during the right turn. When transitioning into the left turn (between points F9 and F10), the pitch angle was approximately 11 degrees and the flight path angle was around -10 degrees. At this time, the aircraft was flying at approximately 125 m above the elevation of the Segnes pass (see figure 3). During roughly the next 4 seconds, the aircraft descended by 25 m and the already negative flight path angle became even more negative, which is clearly apparent when comparing figures 3 and 4 as well as in figure 5. After point F13, the roll to the left increased steadily and did not decrease even when a significant aileron deflection to the right was made. The ailerons were then brought into a neutral position and temporarily deflected into a position for a left turn. At the same time, the pitch attitude began to decrease and the flight path ran increasingly steeper downwards whilst the left bank attitude constantly increased (see figure 6). During this last flight phase, the aircraft experienced low-frequency vibrations. Ultimately, when the aircraft was 108 m above ground (point F16, see figures 6 and 7), its longitudinal axis was pointing downwards by 68 degrees from horizontal. By this time, the elevator had deflected upwards by approximately 13 degrees and the rudder was pointing 2 degrees to the right. The speeds of the three engines had increased slightly compared to the beginning of the downward spiral trajectory and were between 1,720 and 1,750 rpm shortly before impact. The roll to the left accelerated significantly during this phase. Shortly after 16:57, the aircraft hit the ground in a vertical flight attitude with an almost vertical flight path and at a speed of approximately 200 km/h (see figure 8). All 20 people on board the aircraft lost their lives in the accident. The aircraft was destroyed. Fire did not break out. Reconstructions revealed that, at the time of the accident, HB-HOT’s centre of gravity was at 2.071 m behind the wing’s leading edge (see annex A1.6). In the images and video footage available that had been captured from inside HB-HOT, there was no evidence of anyone moving within the aircraft or not sitting in their seat between the period when the aeroplane entered the basin south-west of Piz Segnas and up to the beginning of its downward spiral trajectory. A detailed description of the reconstruction of the flight path and an illustration of the relevant parameters between position F1 and the site of the accident can be found in section 1.11.2. More information regarding the background and history of the flight can be found in annex A1.1.

JU-Air

The three engine aircraft was completing a charter flight from Dübendorf to Samedan, carrying 17 passengers and three crew members. After touchdown on runway 03 at Samedan Airport, the aircraft deviated to the left. The crew elected to regain control but at a speed of 110 km/h, the aircraft struck a snow wall on a distance of 250 metres, causing severe damages to the left wing, left engine and left main gear. All 20 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Gibbes Sepik Airways

The pilot landed with a high tailwind component. After touchdown, the three engine aircraft veered off the airstrip and struck an embankment. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off and the airplane came to rest on its belly. There were no injuries among the occupants but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Source & photos: http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/junkers ju52/junkersju52.html

Transportes Aéreos Orientales - TAO

Shortly after takeoff from Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport, the crew reported engine trouble and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft stalled and crashed few km from the airfield and came to rest. Three passengers were killed while 11 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Argentinian Air Force - Fuerza Aérea Argentina

Christened 'Misiones', the three engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Cafayate while engaged in a local test flight. There were no injuries but the airplane was destroyed.

Gibbes Sepik Airways

GSA pilot Peter Manser was making a down-hill takeoff on the sloping strip, carrying a heavy load of sawn timber. Just before becoming airborne the port engine suddenly lost all power, causing the aircraft to swing violently to the left and roll towards the Qantas terminal building and freight shed. The Qantas agent Mrs. Ivy Crawford saw it approaching and ran through the passenger room out on to the airfield and jumped over an embankment as the aircraft struck the building. The port wing sliced through the wooden structure, the roof collapsing as the Junkers kept rolling on to a road, tearing off its rear fuselage before Manser could bring it to a stop. The fuselage was broken into three sections and 12 feet was smashed off the port wing. Source: http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/junkers ju52/junkersju52.html

VASP - Viação Aérea de São Paulo

The aircraft departed São Paulo-Congonhas Airport at 0910LT on a cargo flight to Belém with intermediate stops at Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. About 40 minutes after takeoff, the three engine airplane crashed in flames in a field located about 10 km west of Salesópolis, 70 km east of Congonhas Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Argentinian Government

Crashed in a field located 10 km from Rauch while conducting a crop spraying mission on behalf of the Argentinian Ministry of Agriculture. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all three crew members were injured.

Argentinian Government

Shortly after takeoff from Catamarca Airport, while climbing, two of the three engines failed. The aircraft stalled, struck trees and crashed in a field located three km from the airfield. All four crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The crew was completing a spraying mission on behalf of the Argentinian Ministry of Agriculture.

French Navy

While flying by night at an altitude of 3,600 feet, the three engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located about 10 km north of Zaghouan while on a flight from Oran to Bizerte. All 15 occupants were killed. Crew: Mr. Even, pilot, Michel Hauss, pilot, Mr. Bertin, flight engineer, Mr. Lelionnais, radio operator. Passengers: Maurice Rouyer, Raymond Le Saulnier, Bernard Le Mancq, Pierre Le Boulicaut, Robert Gaudel, Joseph Diler, Ygnacio De Labaca, René Automarchi, Guy André 2.

Aeronorte

The crew was performing a cargo flight from Vitória to Rio de Janeiro. The three engine aircraft was spotted in poor weather conditions between the cities of Araruama, Saquarema and Maricá, between 1600 and 1700LT. It then disappeared in unknown circumstances. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. It is possible the aircraft crashed into the Ocean off Maricá.

Líneas Aéreas del Estado - LADE

The JU52 started the approach to Rosario when it collided with an Argentinian Air Force DH.104 Dove registered T-62 and carrying seven crew members. The collision occurred in unclear circumstances. The Dove lost a wing and crashed in a field located eight km south of Villa Mugueta. The pilot of the JU52 attempted an emergency landing but the three engine aircraft eventually crashed in flames. All 20 occupants in both airplanes were killed.

Argentinian Government

The crew was performing a locust spraying mission in Chañar, province of La Rioja, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture. The accident occurred in unknown circumstances. The three engine aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all three crew members were injured.

Argentinian Government

The crew left San Miguel de Tucumán Airport in the afternoon to perform a locust spraying mission in San Pedro de Colalao, province of Tucumán, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture. The three engine aircraft was carrying three passengers, two pilots, 2,400 liters of gasoline, 180 liters of oil and 1,000 liters of liquid locust spray. After an uneventful first pass over the plantations, the pilot-in-command completed a circuit in an attempt to make a second low pass when, during a turn at low height, the left wing hit a tree. The aircraft stalled and crashed. Both pilots and two passengers were killed while the fifth occupants was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

DETA Mozambique Airlines - Direcção de Exploração dos Transportes Aéreos

En route, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. The three engine aircraft crash landed near Lagoa Pati. All 15 occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

French Navy

In unknown circumstances, the three engine aircraft registered 1036 (32 S-1) crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the Oued Massa region, about 55 km southwest of Agadir. All 18 occupants were killed. The aircraft was en route to Dakar when the accident occurred.

MAP - Ministerstvo Aviatsionnoi Promyshlennosti - Minaviaprom

The crew left Verknyaya Salda in the morning on a cargo flight to Ufa. En route, he encountered poor weather conditions and the visibility was reduced by snow falls. As the crew did not have the appropriate charts for the region, he obtained the assistance of the ATC and was vectored to Tyumen Airport. Few minutes later, while cruising at an assigned altitude of 2,100 meters, the central engine lost power and failed. Shortly later, both other engines (left and right) lost power and produced black smoke. In such conditions, the crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude and the captain decided to make an emergency landing. The aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located 14 km north of Mezenka. Four crew members were injured while the captain was killed.

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

En route from Chita to Krasnoyarsk, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls. Maybe the crew elected to make an emergency landing when the three engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed somewhere between these two cities. While both pilots (among them captain A. F. Bazanov) were uninjured, the aircraft was written off.

Líneas Aéreas del Estado - LADE

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Argentina. Occupant fate unknown as well.

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

The crew was returning to his base after all three BMW engines have been replaced by three Shvetsov ASh-62. While flying into severe weather conditions, the aircraft crashed into a mountain located near Taldykorgan. All four crew members were killed. The exact date of the occurrence remains unknown (someday in 1946) and the registration is not confirmed: CCCP-L26 or CCCP-L28.

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

The crew was completing a cargo flight from Ashgabat to Darvaza, carrying a load of various goods for a total weight of 2,400 kilos. On final approach to Darvaza Airport, the aircraft adopted a high nose attitude and then stalled before crashing in a desert area located one km short of the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

French Air Force - Armée de l'Air

The crew left Paris-Le Bourget at 0900LT in good weather conditions, bound for Dublin with 21 French girls and two attendants taking part to a camp in Ireland. While approaching Dublin from the south, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and reduced visibility. The captain elected to gain height and pull up when the three engine aircraft hit the slope of a hill and crash landed. All 27 occupants were quickly rescued and unhurt while the aircraft was written off.

Det Norske Luftfartselskap - DNL

Shortly after takeoff from Oslo-Fornebu Airport, while in initial climb, the crew informed ground about the failure of the left engine and elected to return. During the last turn, the aircraft lost height, hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located in Snarøya, southwest of the airport. A passenger was seriously injured while 13 other occupants were killed, among them the Norwegian novelist and essayist Ronald Fangen.

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

An engine caught fire in flight while enroute to Moscow. The captain decided to divert to Kazan Airfield where a safe landing was performed. Repairs were completed on the engine and the crew departed for Moscow few hours later. Shortly after takeoff, the same engine caught fire again while a second one lost power few seconds later. Unable to maintain a sufficient speed, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that stalled and crashed in a wooded area. All occupants were rescued while the aircraft, seized by the Russian Army to the Germans, was destroyed.

CSA Czech Airlines - Ceskoslovenské Státní Aerolinie

Following an uneventful flight from Paris via Strasbourg, the crew started the descent to Prague but encountered poor weather conditions. Due to low visibility, the first approach was abandoned and a go around was performed. A second attempt to land was abandoned as well, still for the same reason. During the third attempt, the three engine aircraft was too low and hit the ground short of runway threshold. Eight passengers and two crew members were killed while five other occupants were seriously injured.

Aero Oy

On final approach to Hyvinkää Airport, the three engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area. All 14 occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to bad weather conditions and the crew was completed a too low approach.

Deutsche Lufthansa

The three engine aircraft left Berlin-Tempelhof in the evening on a flight to Munich with intermediate stops in Prague and Vienna. While cruising about 60 km south of Berlin, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Soviet fighter and crashed in flames in a field located in Steinreich. Two passengers were seriously injured while 18 other occupants were killed, among them the German filmmaker Hans Steinhoff. This was the last flight for Lufthansa from Berlin before the end of the WWII.

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

On the leg from Ashgabat to Chardzhou (now Türkmenabat) of a positioning flight from Ashgabat to Alma Ata for overhaul by ARM-405 when the right engine failed near Repetek. The pilot decided to go around on landing at Chardzhou as he was unable to make out the landing T, being blinded by flying against the sun, the aircraft lost height and speed while flying a left turn. The pilot did not cope with the situation so the aircraft collided with an irrigation canal and trees 4 km from the airfield, lost its landing gear, flaps and ailerons and crash landed. Both outer engines broke of. All seven occupants were unhurt.

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

Crashed in Malá Úpa, killing all eight crew members.

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

On approach to Pápa Airfield, the three engine aircraft was shot down by Flak and crashed in a field. Two crew members were killed while the third occupant was seriously wounded. Crew: ObLt Johann Czirz, † Fw Schramm, † Uffz Johann Rieser.

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

On a cargo flight from Stalinabad to Kulyab when the right wing caught fire some 20 minutes into the flight (probably due to a leak in a fuel pipe). The fuel tanks in the right wing exploded, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed into rocks in the Rangon Mountain Range located southeast of Stalinabad. All three crew members were killed.

Deutsche Lufthansa

The three engine aircraft christened 'Josef Langheld' crashed in unknown circumstances in Prnjavor, some 45 km east of Banja Luka. All seven occupants were killed.

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

En route, the crew encountered foggy conditions and did not realize he was flying off the prescribed flight path. In poor visibility, the three engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Rondane National Park, Oppland. All 14 occupants were killed. The wreckage was found by German on June 16, 1945.

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

The three engine aircraft left Nautsi Airport, Murmansk Oblast, at 0805LT on a flight to Kaamanen. En route, it was shot down by the pilot of a Soviet Air Force fighter and crashed in a wooded area located in Luppovaara, near Väylä. All three occupants were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed. Crew (2./TGr.20): Ofw Franz Blume, Fw Georg Zeissler, Fw Helmut Born. Source & photo: http://ktsorens.tihlde.org/flyvrak/toulbujarvi.html

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

The three engine aircraft left Nautsi Airport, Murmansk Oblast, at 0805LT on a flight to Kaamanen. En route, it was shot down by the pilot of a Soviet Air Force fighter and crashed in a wooded area located in Tuolpujärvi, southeast of Utsjoki. All five occupants were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed. Crew (2./TGr.20): Ofw Willi Enderle, Uffz Werner Jagode, Ogfr Wilhelm Tönnes. PassengerS: Uffz Hermann Keller, Uffz Helmut Dietrich. Source & photo: http://ktsorens.tihlde.org/flyvrak/toulbujarvi.html

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

The three engine aircraft left Nautsi Airport, Murmansk Oblast, at 0805LT on a flight to Kaamanen. En route, it was shot down by the pilot of a Soviet Air Force fighter and crashed in a wooded area located in Luppovaara, near Väylä. Eight occupants were rescued while a passenger was killed. Crew (2./TGr.20): Fw Gustav Kunzmann, Uffz Ludwig Rohnacker. Passengers: Ofw Fritz Hartwig, Ofw Paul Kaufmann, Ogfr Rudolf Gilga, Ogfr Ludwig Stuhldrein, Uffz Hans Bernd, Stgfr Hermann Königs, Stgfr Wladis Marmella. Source & photo: http://ktsorens.tihlde.org/flyvrak/toulbujarvi.html

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

En route over Lapland, the three engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Soviet Air Force fighter and crashed in a lake located in Muddusjärvi, some 15 km north of Inari. All three crew members were killed. Crew: Gef Erich Adams, Ofw Alfed Böhm, Ogfr Alf Schuhmacher.

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

En route, the three engine aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a Soviet Air Force Petlyakov Pe-3. The crew reduced his altitude and was able to attempt an emergency landing in a pasture. While all three occupants were slightly injured and rescued, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site.

Deutsche Lufthansa

En route, the three engine aircraft christened 'Friedrich Dahmen' was attacked by the pilot of a RAF Mosquito fighter. The crew reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing but the aircraft eventually crash landed in a field. A passenger was killed.

Deutsche Lufthansa

The three engine aircraft christened 'Herman Stache' left Copenhagen Airport at 1750LT bound for Oslo. After passing Skagen, the aircraft entered over Skagerrak and the weather conditions deteriorated. Due to poor visibility and wind from the east, the aircraft diverted from the prescribed flight path to the west. Persuaded to be on the correct track for Oslo, the crew reduced his altitude and went through the cloud layer to start the descent to Fornebu Airport. At an altitude of 1,355 meters, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Skorvefjell located northwest of Seljord. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 15 occupants were killed. Crew: Johannes Schröter, August Lukat, Wilhelm Jenss. Passengers: Curt Braun, Armin Priest, Hans Haas, Herman Daduna, Walter Hodt, Erwin Keller, Edwin Krause, Alexander Rockel, Georg Rosenbush, Gerard Schmidt, Kjell Andreas Martinsen, Milli Holthe.

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

While flying some 20 km south of Banak Airport, the three engine aircraft was shot down by the crew of a Soviet Air Force Douglas Boston and crashed. All three crew members were killed. Crew: Ofw Hermann Schminke, Fw Alfred Nährig, Ofw Eduard Huhnholdt. Source & photos: https://ktsorens.tihlde.org/flyvrak/uccagagga.html

Deutsche Lufthansa

The three engine aircraft christened 'Gerhard Amann' was approaching Belgrade Airport at an altitude of some 400 meters when it was shot down by the pilots of three enemy fighters and crashed in a field located in Velika Ivanca, south of Belgrade. All five occupants were killed.

Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines

The crew was performing a ferry flight from Alma Ata to Kuybyshev with an intermediate stop in Semipalatinsk. En route, the pilot in command deviated from the prescribed flight path to the east in order to circumvent an area of poor weather and overflew high mountains. As he was unable to gain sufficient height, the three engine aircraft stalled and crashed at a height of some 2,700 meters into the steep wall of a gorge near a pass over the khrebet Dzhil-Dhuta mountain range (3,050 meters), about 15 km northwest of Koksu. All six occupants were killed.

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

In unknown circumstances, the three engine aircraft crashed in the Tatra mountains, some 30 km northwest of Poprad. All four crew members were injured.

NKAP - Narodnyy Komissariat Aviatsionnoy Promyshlennosti

Crashed somewhere in Russia in June 1944 (exact date unknown). Occupant fate unknown as well.

German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe

The crew was completing a military cargo flight from the East front to the West, carrying various equipment and materials on behalf the Transport Group n° 4. Apparently following an engine failure, the airplane lost height and crashed in an open field. All three crew members were killed. Crew: Fw Ibs, Fw Pittrof, Fw Leisz.

Deutsche Lufthansa

Few minutes after its take off from Belgrade-Zemun Airfield, while climbing, the aircraft was attacked by an allied fighter. The three engine aircraft was hit in the rear and the starboard and then caught fire. Out of control, it crashed in a field located in Stara Pazova, some 25 km north of Belgrade. Two crew members were seriously injured while all five other occupants were killed.

SABENA - Société Anonyme Belge d'Exploitation de la Navigation Aérienne

En route, the crew encountered unknown problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. All occupants escaped unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site.

SABENA - Société Anonyme Belge d'Exploitation de la Navigation Aérienne

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Costermansville (now Bukavu), Belgian Congo. Occupant fate unknown.

Deutsche Lufthansa

Christened 'Joachim Blankenburg', the aircraft left Thessaloniki Airport at 1620LT bound for Athens. Some 41 minutes later, the radio navigator informed ATC that he was returning to Thessaloniki. Five minutes later, he announced that pilot reduced his altitude, that he was flying over the sea at a height of 30 meters and that he was encountering technical problems with the engines. A Pan message was sent few seconds later and eventually, the aircraft disappeared four minutes later and probably crashed into the South Euboean Gulf. SAR operations did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the 16 occupants.