2010 Berlin Air Services DC-3 crash
Encyclopedia
On 19 June 2010, a vintage Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Berlin Schönefeld Airport to a sightseeing flight over Berlin
, which was operated by Air Service Berlin, a provider of event flights. There were no fatalities, but seven out of the 28 passengers and crew were injured.
D-CXXX, serial number 16124/32872), a preserved Rosinenbomber (Raisin bomber
). It had been built in 1944 and was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 engines. It had participated in the 1947–49 Berlin Airlift, and because of the importance of this event for the city of Berlin it was acquired for sightseeing flights in 2000, as the last surviving aircraft of its type in Europe. Also, the airframe was used as one of the last two aircraft to take off from Berlin Tempelhof Airport (one of the Airlift airports) when it was closed on 30 October 2008.
. There were three crew members and 25 passengers on board (among them Stefan Kaufmann
, a member of Bundestag
), all of which were able to leave the aircraft unassisted. Reports claimed that there had been seven injured people, four of which were taken to hospital. A smaller fire that arose from spilled fuel was put out by firefighters who had rushed to the accident scene from the nearby airport. Due to the subsequent lack of emergency services, Schönefeld Airport had to be closed for 15 minutes.
from Gail Halvorsen
, the pilot who is attributed to having started the dropping of sweets for children from aircraft participating in the Berlin Airlift.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, which was operated by Air Service Berlin, a provider of event flights. There were no fatalities, but seven out of the 28 passengers and crew were injured.
Aircraft
The aircraft involved was a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (registeredAircraft registration
An aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
D-CXXX, serial number 16124/32872), a preserved Rosinenbomber (Raisin bomber
Raisin bombers
Raisin Bombers was the name Berliners gave to the transport aircraft of the Western Allies, which brought in supplies to the western half of the city of Berlin during the Berlin Blockade in 1949....
). It had been built in 1944 and was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 engines. It had participated in the 1947–49 Berlin Airlift, and because of the importance of this event for the city of Berlin it was acquired for sightseeing flights in 2000, as the last surviving aircraft of its type in Europe. Also, the airframe was used as one of the last two aircraft to take off from Berlin Tempelhof Airport (one of the Airlift airports) when it was closed on 30 October 2008.
Accident
Shortly after take-off at around 15:00 local time from Berlin Schönefeld Airport for a sightseeing flight over the city centre of Berlin, the left engine failed and the aircraft was unable to gain height. The pilots went into a left turn and set down the aircraft into a field near the construction site for the new Berlin-Brandenburg International AirportBerlin-Brandenburg International Airport
Berlin Brandenburg Airport is a new international airport under construction south of central Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It is scheduled to open on 3 June 2012. The airport is located in Schönefeld on the border between the states of Berlin and Brandenburg and will be named after the...
. There were three crew members and 25 passengers on board (among them Stefan Kaufmann
Stefan Kaufmann (politician)
Stefan Kaufmann is a German politician and member of the Christian Democratic Union .-Earlier Life:Kaufmann was born youngest of three brothers to a family living in Stuttgart-Weilimdorf. His father, a confidential clerk, died in 1982...
, a member of Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
), all of which were able to leave the aircraft unassisted. Reports claimed that there had been seven injured people, four of which were taken to hospital. A smaller fire that arose from spilled fuel was put out by firefighters who had rushed to the accident scene from the nearby airport. Due to the subsequent lack of emergency services, Schönefeld Airport had to be closed for 15 minutes.
Aftermath
The C-47 aircraft suffered substantial damage to its tail and left wing. Nevertheless, due to its historic significance (and because it was the signature airframe of the company), Air Service Berlin stated that it intended a complete repair and restoration. Donations towards the cost of the restoration had been received from across the world, including a symbolic 100 USDUnited States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
from Gail Halvorsen
Gail Halvorsen
Colonel Gail Halvorsen is a retired career officer and command pilot in the United States Air Force known as the original Candy Bomber or the "Rosinenbomber" in Germany. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah...
, the pilot who is attributed to having started the dropping of sweets for children from aircraft participating in the Berlin Airlift.