Junkers JU.90 accident at Brauna, Germany, 8 Nov 1940 (D-AVMF)

Accident narrative

The four engine airplane named 'Brandenburg' departed Berlin-Tempelhof Airport at 1424LT on a schedule service to Budapest, carrying 23 passengers and six crew members. At 1448LT, the radio operator informed ground he was flying at an altitude of 2,200 metres in clouds and reported icing conditions two minutes later. Then the airplane initiated a descent and uncontrolled manoeuvres when it eventually crashed in an open field located some 300 metres from Brauna. All 29 occupants were killed, among them the German Musician and Journalist Adolf Raskin.

Probable cause (official findings): The cause of the crash is believed by the Accident Investigation Board to be icing between the external balance and the elevator fin end cap and blockage of the altitude control system in the depressed position, which, together with the severe degradation of flight characteristics due to the thickness of the ice, made it impossible to control the aircraft. About 30 minutes after the accident, a layer of 15 to 20 millimetres of ice was still present on critical surfaces.