What happened
On a day dedicated to combined flight exercises, two Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNAF) aircraft took off from Gilze-Rijen Air Base. The incident involved an Anson and a second RNAF Anson registered D-21, which was carrying a crew of six. While both aircraft were in the initial climb phase following departure, they collided with one another. The impact caused both planes to crash into a nearby field. The force of the collision resulted in total destruction of both airframes. All twelve personnel on board the two aircraft perished in the accident.
Findings
The event occurred during a routine training scenario involving coordinated maneuvers between the two trainers. The fatal outcome was immediate, with no survivors reported from either the primary aircraft or the second unit registered D-21.