Focke-Wulf Fw.200 Condor accident at Piesenkofen, Germany, 21 Apr 1945 (D-ASHH)
On April 21, 1945, a Focke-Wulf Fw.200 Condor (registration D-ASHH) operated by Deutsche Lufthansa was involved in an aviation accident near Piesenkofen, Germany in flight. 25 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The engine number one caught fire and exploded in flight, causing the aircraft to be out of control. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Probable cause
The engine number one caught fire and exploded in flight, causing the aircraft to be out of control.
— NTSB Determination
Accident narrative
The four engine aircraft named 'Hessen' departed Berlin-Tempelhof Airport at 2025LT bound for Barcelona with an intermediate stop in Munich. At 2150LT, the captain informed Munich he was overflying Straubing and initiated the descent. About ten minutes later, due to poor weather conditions (clouds, thunderstorm activity and turbulences), the captain radioed that he was continuing directly to Barcelona. Five minutes later, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located 500 metres north of Piesenkofen. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 25 occupants were killed.
Probable cause (official findings): The engine number one caught fire and exploded in flight, causing the aircraft to be out of control.