1928 KLM Fokker F.III Waalhaven crash
 Similar KLM Fokker F.III as the involved aircraft | |
| Date | 24 July 1928 |
|---|---|
| Site | Waalhaven, the Netherlands |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Fokker F.XXII |
| Operator | KLM |
| Registration | H-NABR |
| Flight origin | Waalhaven Airport, the Netherlands |
| Destination | Waalhaven Airport, the Netherlands |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Survivors | 5 |
On 24 July 1928, KLM-owned Fokker F.III H-NABR was a passenger flight from Waalhaven Airport, the Netherlands. The plane with the pilot and five passengers on board stalled on takeoff and crashed after it struck boats in the Waalhaven harbour next to the airport. One passenger died after not all passengers could be saved in time while the airplane sank.
The pilot wasn’t properly trained for this (older) type of aircraft. The passengers weren’t aware of the emergency hatch and all would have survived when having used this emergency exit. It was suggested to tell passengers before the flight where the emergency exit is located, what is nowadays one of the mandatory parts of the pre-flight safety demonstration. Better visibility inside the cabin of the emergency exit was also advised. The accident resulted also in the advise of better procedures by which pilots are assigned to fly certain aircraft types.
Involved airplane
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The involved airplane was a KLM owned Fokker F.III with registration H-NABR and registration number 1533. The plane had an Armstrong Siddeley Puma engine of 240 hp. The aircraft had a cruising speed of 135 km/h, a maximum take-off weight of 1900 kg and a flight range of 1000 km. There was room for 5 passengers. The pilot sat in this type of aircraft, right next to the engine in the open air.[1]
The plane was registered on 16 June 1922. But the plane had a richer history as it was built from the H-NABL after its last crash.[1] The H-NABL had had two airplane crashes. The first was on 21 May 1921 in Hekelingen. The hull was used for building a new airplane that was registered on 30 August 1921 under the same registration H-NABL.[2]
On 29 October 1921 pilot R. Hofstra of the H-NABL was lost and had to make a landing during the night in the darkness at Waalhaven Airport. The plane flips over due to poor lighting. The hull was damaged; the engine was not damaged and of the wings only a few plates were minor damaged in the middle.[2] From the H-NABL hull, the H-NABR was build.[1]
On 9 July 1924 the H-NABR was the first KLM aircraft to transport livestock. As there was at the time foot and mouth disease in Belgium, breeding bull “Nico II” was transported by air from Waalhaven Airport to Paris.[1]
Flight and crash
In July 1928 the Rotterdamsche Aero Club organized together with KLM a three days aviation festival at Waalhaven Airport.[3] The KLM organized round trip flights.[4]
In the afternoon of 24 July 1928 KLM owned Fokker F.III H-NABR was used as a sightseeing flight above Rotterdam from Waalhaven Airport, the Netherlands. Next to pilot Scott there were five female passengers on board. After the usual test of the engine the plane departed at 2:48 pm local time in western direction. After 150 meters in the air the airplane flew in abnormal position with a low-hanging tail.[1][5] Due to a sudden wind the airplane was drifted to the right.[6] The airplane flew just over the fence of the airport.[7] Due to the stalled position of the aircraft, the main landing gear and right wing strikes boats at the Waalhaven harbor. The front three mast of the “Kolenmijn” are hit. The first mast snapped-off, the second mast lost the top part and the third mast damaged the wing. The plane glided 75 metres further away into the water of the harbor. As the depth of the water was only 4 metres, the hull and left wing was at an angle were position above the water and the right wing at the bottom in the water.[1][8]
Rescue operation
Rowing boats from surrounding ships went to the wreck to help. The pilot and four passengers were released shortly after. Due to the works, the position of the airplane changed all the time. After most of the passenger were released, the cabin was almost entirely under water. The two oldest passengers were heavily injured and the last two people in the airplane.[7] Pieter Guilonard, KLM’s chief of technical services has jumped in the water and kicked in the emergency exit and ripped open the linen of the hull. Only around twenty minutes after the crashes he managed to release the fifth passenger unconscious through the exit (some sources stated it was madam Kappeyne who was saved last[6]).[7][1] After long during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation she was declared dead.[7]
With the help of ir. Driessen of the KLM the heavily damaged 1500kg airplane was pullled out of the water by ”De Tweeling” and placed on the deck of the ship. The river police seized the aircraft and was later handed over to KLM.[7]
Pilot and passengers
There were six people on board: the pilot and five female passengers.[1]
- J.J. Schott, an experienced KLM pilot on Fokker F.VII and Fokker F.VIIa airplanes. He had a head injury.
- A. ten Cate-De Lorraine Holting (53 years old) married woman from Deventer. She didn’t survive the accident.
- B.H. ten Cate (19 years old), the daughter of A. ten Cate-De Lorraine Holting, also from Deventer. She had head injuries.[7][6]
- C.F.E.G. Kappeyne (67 years old) from The Hague. She had a broken leg. Madam Ten Cate amd her daughter had stayed with her.[7]
- G.N. Giphart (29 years old) worked as a nurse at the Coolsingel hospital.[7][6]
- C.E.G.E. Dolfing (33 year old) worked as a nurse at the Coolsingel hospital.[7][6]
Reactions and investigation
The passengers didn’t know the location of the emergency hatch in the ceiling of the aircraft. It was stated that all would have survived when having used the emergency exit; as its location for a long time above the water. It is suggested that it would be good to tell passenger before a flight where the emergency exit is located.[7]
As the KLM had high safety standards, the KLM was critisized in the media for using their old airplanes for passenger flights.[7][9]
Conclusions
In November 1928 the investigative committee published their conclusion:[1]
- The direct cause of the too short take-off, so that the aircraft already in stalled position when coming loose from the ground. Due to the sudden wind the aircraft turned to the north side of the airfield.
- The Fokker F.III, stated as a good type of aircraft which had been in service for a long time, became difficult to fly under these conditions, requiring a well-trained pilot.
- The very experienced Schott was trained for the more modern Fokker F.VII and Fokker F.VIIa airplanes. The Fokker F.III, normally flown by experienced F.III pilots, was used because there was no other aircraft available. Schott only had had a very brief training for this type of aircraft. The airport master Aler was blamed that he should have sent Schott into this type of aircraft.
- There would have been no fatalities when the emergency hatch was used
Their recommendation was to establish better procedures to which pilots are assigned to fly certain types of aircraft. Another recommendation was better visibility in the aircraft of the emergency exit.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "H-NABR verongelukt in de Waalhaven". aviacrash.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ^ a b "26 oktober 1921. De H-NABL crasht op Waalhaven". aviacrash.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Feest op Waalhaven". Het nieuws van den dag (in Dutch). 24 July 1928 – via Delpher.
- ^ "Rondvluchten van de K.L.M." De Tijd (in Dutch). 24 July 1928 – via Delpher.
- ^ "H-NABR". Aviation Safety. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Ernstig Vliegongeluk bij Waalhaven". Bataviaasch nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 25 July 1928 – via Delpher.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Het vliegtuigongeval in de Waalhaven". Het Volk (in Dutch). 25 July 1928 – via Delpher.
- ^ "Een vliegtuig van de K.L.M. in de Waalhaven geraakt". Haagsche Courant (in Dutch). 25 July 1928 – via Delpher.
- ^ "Een K.L.M. vliegtuig verongelukt". Voorwaarts (in Dutch). 25 July 1928 – via Delpher.