2 fatalities

Fatal Aircraft Theft and Crash Off Katwijk (212)

Katwijk aan Zee, NetherlandsTakeoff (climb)

On January 23, 1965, a Lockheed P-2 Neptune (registration 212) operated by Royal Netherlands Navy - Marineluchtvaartdienst (MLD) was involved in an aviation accident near Katwijk aan Zee, Netherlands during takeoff. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of control due to pilot intoxication. 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

Two intoxicated technicians stole an aircraft from Valkenburg AFB at night. The plane crashed into the sea off Katwijk during initial climb, killing both occupants.

Incident Overview and Location Details An aircraft was parked on the apron at Valkenburg Air Force Base when it was stolen during the night. The source does not specify the aircraft type, registration, operator, or exact date of the incident. The theft was carried out by two intoxicated technicians, who successfully started the engine and took off from the base. The aircraft subsequently crashed into the sea off Katwijk, resulting in the deaths of both occupants on board. The official investigation attributed the accident to a loss of control caused by pilot intoxication. No additional details regarding the specific aircraft model, registration, or precise timeline were provided in the source material.

Probable cause

Loss of control due to pilot intoxication.