![]() | This article needs to be updated.(May 2024) |
![]() D-CXXX, the aircraft involved | |
Accident | |
---|---|
Date | 19 June 2010 |
Summary | Under investigation |
Site | Near Berlin Schönefeld Airport |
Aircraft | |
Aircraft type | Douglas C-47 Skytrain |
Aircraft name | Rosinenbomber |
Operator | Air Service Berlin |
Registration | D-CXXX |
Flight origin | Berlin Schönefeld Airport, Berlin, Germany |
Destination | Berlin Schönefeld Airport |
Occupants | 28 |
Passengers | 25 |
Crew | 3 |
Fatalities | 0 |
Injuries | 7 |
Survivors | 28 |
On 19 June 2010, a vintage Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Berlin Schönefeld Airport for a sightseeing flight over Berlin, which was operated by Air Service Berlin, a provider of event flights. There were no fatalities, but seven of the 28 passengers and crew were injured.
The aircraft involved was a Douglas C-47 Skytrain ( registered D-CXXX, serial number 16124/32872), a preserved Raisin bomber. [1] It had been built in 1944 and was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 engines. [2] It had participated in the 1948–49 Berlin Airlift. The importance of the airlift for Berlin led to it being acquired for sightseeing flights in 2000. [3] The aircraft was 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. [4]
At at around 15:00 local time, shortly after take-off from Berlin Schönefeld Airport for a sightseeing flight over the city centre of Berlin, [2] 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 Airport. [1] [5] Three crew members and 25 passengers were on board (among them Stefan Kaufmann, a Bundestag member), [3] all of whom were able to leave the aircraft unassisted. [6] [7] Seven people were injured, four of whom were taken to hospital. [8] Schönefeld Airport was closed for fifteen minutes while its emergency services attended the crash scene. [9] A fire that arose from spilled fuel was put out by the airport's firefighters. [10]
The C-47 aircraft suffered substantial damage to its tail and port wing. [6] Nevertheless, due to its historic significance (and because it was the signature airframe of the company), Air Service Berlin stated 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 USD from Gail Halvorsen, the pilot who is attributed to having started the dropping of sweets for children from aircraft participating in the Berlin Airlift. [4] [9] The damaged port wing was later salvaged and sold as limited edition Aviationtags. [11]
![]() | This article needs to be updated.(May 2024) |
![]() D-CXXX, the aircraft involved | |
Accident | |
---|---|
Date | 19 June 2010 |
Summary | Under investigation |
Site | Near Berlin Schönefeld Airport |
Aircraft | |
Aircraft type | Douglas C-47 Skytrain |
Aircraft name | Rosinenbomber |
Operator | Air Service Berlin |
Registration | D-CXXX |
Flight origin | Berlin Schönefeld Airport, Berlin, Germany |
Destination | Berlin Schönefeld Airport |
Occupants | 28 |
Passengers | 25 |
Crew | 3 |
Fatalities | 0 |
Injuries | 7 |
Survivors | 28 |
On 19 June 2010, a vintage Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Berlin Schönefeld Airport for a sightseeing flight over Berlin, which was operated by Air Service Berlin, a provider of event flights. There were no fatalities, but seven of the 28 passengers and crew were injured.
The aircraft involved was a Douglas C-47 Skytrain ( registered D-CXXX, serial number 16124/32872), a preserved Raisin bomber. [1] It had been built in 1944 and was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 engines. [2] It had participated in the 1948–49 Berlin Airlift. The importance of the airlift for Berlin led to it being acquired for sightseeing flights in 2000. [3] The aircraft was 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. [4]
At at around 15:00 local time, shortly after take-off from Berlin Schönefeld Airport for a sightseeing flight over the city centre of Berlin, [2] 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 Airport. [1] [5] Three crew members and 25 passengers were on board (among them Stefan Kaufmann, a Bundestag member), [3] all of whom were able to leave the aircraft unassisted. [6] [7] Seven people were injured, four of whom were taken to hospital. [8] Schönefeld Airport was closed for fifteen minutes while its emergency services attended the crash scene. [9] A fire that arose from spilled fuel was put out by the airport's firefighters. [10]
The C-47 aircraft suffered substantial damage to its tail and port wing. [6] Nevertheless, due to its historic significance (and because it was the signature airframe of the company), Air Service Berlin stated 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 USD from Gail Halvorsen, the pilot who is attributed to having started the dropping of sweets for children from aircraft participating in the Berlin Airlift. [4] [9] The damaged port wing was later salvaged and sold as limited edition Aviationtags. [11]