3 fatalities

Aircraft collision with factory chimney near Essen-Mülheim (CH-161)

Essen-Mülheim, GermanyLanding (descent or approach)

On October 30, 1930, a Fokker F7 (registration CH-161) operated by Balair - Switzerland was involved in an aviation accident near Essen-Mülheim, Germany during landing or approach. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was too low on final approach in foggy conditions and struck a factory chimney. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

During a foggy approach to Essen-Mülheim Airport from Amsterdam, an aircraft struck a factory chimney in Kettwig and crashed into a field, resulting in three fatalities and three injuries.

What happened

The flight originated in Amsterdam and proceeded without incident until the crew began their final approach to Essen-Mülheim Airport. Visibility was significantly reduced by foggy conditions during this phase of flight. As the aircraft descended on final, it was positioned too low for its trajectory. Consequently, the airframe collided with the chimney of a factory situated near Kettwig.

Following the impact with the structure, the aircraft entered a stall and crashed into an open field located approximately 3 km southwest of the airfield. The accident resulted in fatal injuries to all three crew members on board. The three passengers sustained non-fatal injuries.

Findings

The primary contributing factor identified was the low altitude of the aircraft during the final approach segment, which occurred under conditions of limited visibility due to fog.

Probable cause

The aircraft was too low on final approach in foggy conditions and struck a factory chimney.