21 fatalities

Thunderstorm Encounter Leads to Fatal Crash, All 21 Occupants Killed (D-13)

Lom nad Rimavicou, SlovakiaFlight

On July 3, 1956, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration D-13) operated by Czech Air Force - Ceské Vojenské Letectvo was involved in an aviation accident near Lom nad Rimavicou, Slovakia in flight. 21 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of control due to severe vibrations on elevators and wings caused by turbulence while traversing a thunderstorm area. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

While cruising at 3,000 meters, an aircraft entered a thunderstorm area. Turbulence caused severe vibrations on elevators and wings, leading to loss of control. The aircraft dove into a field, killing all 21 occupants.

Accident Details

While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 meters, the aircraft encountered worsening weather and entered a thunderstorm area. Turbulence induced severe vibrations on the elevators and wings, resulting in a loss of control. The aircraft subsequently dove into the ground and crashed in a field, killing all 21 occupants.

Crew

The crew members were:

  • Pilot: Lt František Holman
  • Copilot: Lt Václav Havlík
  • Lt Jaroslav Bureš
  • Lt Jiří Filc
  • Lt Antonín Havránek, radio operator
  • Lt Karel Souček, flight engineer

Passengers

The passengers were:

  • Lt Karel Filipovský
  • Cpt Jan Zach
  • Lt Emil Hulín
  • Lt Jaroslav Šimek
  • Lt Hosef Obst
  • Cpt Václav Uhlíř
  • Lt Otakar Kodyš
  • Cpt Jan Hrubý
  • Lt Stanislav Jurka
  • Lt Jan Satoria
  • Lt Ladislav Skřiček
  • Maj Josef Florian
  • Lt Josef Konečný
  • Lt Michal Uohlav
  • Lt Bohumil Bulla

Probable cause

Loss of control due to severe vibrations on elevators and wings caused by turbulence while traversing a thunderstorm area.