Lockheed L-749 Constellation accident at Bari, Italy, 23 Jun 1949 (PH-TER)
On June 23, 1949, a Lockheed L-749 Constellation (registration PH-TER) operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij was involved in an aviation accident near Bari, Italy in flight. 33 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: As only few debris were found, investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, it was the opinion of the experts that the loss of control may have been caused by a failure of the automatic pilot system. 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.
Probable cause
As only few debris were found, investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, it was the opinion of the experts that the loss of control may have been caused by a failure of the automatic pilot system.
— NTSB Determination
Accident narrative
The four engine aircraft christened 'Roermond' left Cairo Airport at 0508LT bound for Amsterdam with an ETA at 1445LT. While cruising along the east Italian coast at an altitude of 5,000 meters, the airplane went out of control and entered into a dive. During the near vertical descent, the tail broke off, the aircraft came upside down and eventually crashed into the Adriatic Sea, some 1,5 to 2 km off shore, near Bari. The wreckage sank by 35 meters deep and only few debris were found. All 33 occupants were killed. Crew: Johan Cornelis (Hans) Plesman, pilot (son of Albert Plesman, Director of KLM), Jacobus Tuyt, pilot, Jan van Kuyk, pilot, Albert George Modard, pilot, Leendert Post, radio operator, Jacques Marinus Willem Hout, radio operator, Dirk Martinus Grandia, flight engineer, Johan Albert van der Meer, flight engineer, Pieter Jelles Overbeek, steward, Cornelia Antoinette Timmermans, stewardess, Jan Hendrik Ross, cooker.
Probable cause (official findings): As only few debris were found, investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, it was the opinion of the experts that the loss of control may have been caused by a failure of the automatic pilot system.