23 fatalities

1958-02-06: Munich air disaster — West Germany

West Germany

On February 6, 1958, a Munich air disaster was involved in an aviation accident near West Germany. 23 people were killed. The investigation identified runway excursion as a causal factor. This summary draws on records from Wikidata contributors.

SourcesWikidata contributorsPrimary reportUpdated 1780111919Data APIEditorial standards

On 6 February 1958, British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third takeoff attempt at Munich-Riem Airport, killing 23 of 44 onboard, including members of the Manchester United football team.

Background

On February 6, 1958, British European Airways Flight 609, an aircraft carrying the Manchester United football team (known as the "Busby Babes"), along with supporters and journalists, attempted to take off from Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany.

Crash

The flight was on its third attempt to depart when the crash occurred. The aircraft failed to become airborne and crashed at the airport.

Casualties and Survivors

There were 44 people on board. Twenty individuals died at the scene of the crash. The injured, some of whom were unconscious, were transported to Munich's Rechts der Isar Hospital, where three more victims subsequently died. This resulted in a total of 23 fatalities, with 21 survivors.

Contributing factors

runway excursion

Investigation report by Wikidata contributors. Original record: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q308923. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the CC0 (Wikidata).