No fatalities

Berlin Airlift Transport Aircraft Emergency Landing West of Ludwiglust (G-AKDP)

Ludwigslust, GermanyFlight

On May 10, 1949, an Avro 691 Lancastrian (registration G-AKDP) operated by Flight Refuelling was involved in an aviation accident near Ludwigslust, Germany in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Control problems encountered during cruise flight necessitated an emergency landing that resulted in the destruction of the aircraft. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

A transport aircraft involved in the Berlin Airlift suffered control issues en route from Berlin to Lübeck, forcing an emergency landing in a field west of Ludwiglust. The airframe was destroyed, but all four crew members survived without injury.

What happened

During a flight en route from Berlin to Lübeck, the aircraft was participating in the Berlin Airlift operations. While in cruise, the crew encountered significant control problems that compromised the stability of the airframe. In response to the deteriorating situation, the captain elected to reduce altitude and initiated an emergency landing procedure. The pilot selected an open field situated west of Ludwiglust as the site for the forced landing. Upon impact, the aircraft sustained damage severe enough to render it beyond repair. Despite the destruction of the airframe, all four members of the crew emerged from the incident unhurt.

Findings

The source material does not provide specific technical findings or a formal investigation report regarding the root cause of the control issues. The immediate operational decision was made by the captain to execute an emergency landing in available terrain to mitigate risk to the occupants, which resulted in the survival of all personnel on board.

Probable cause

Control problems encountered during cruise flight necessitated an emergency landing that resulted in the destruction of the aircraft.