19 fatalities

Seaplane accident near Stjørdal during approach to Trondheim (LN-IAW)

Trondheim, NorwayLanding (descent or approach)

On October 2, 1948, a Short S.25 Sandringham (registration LN-IAW) operated by Det Norske Luftfartselskap - DNL was involved in an aviation accident near Trondheim, Norway during landing or approach. 19 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck the water surface violently after bouncing during a landing in rough seas and strong crosswinds, causing structural failure. 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 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

A seaplane broke apart after a hard water landing in rough seas near Stjørdal, Norway, killing all nineteen people on board.

What happened

The aircraft was operating a scheduled service from Oslo to Tromsø with an intermediate stop at Trondheim. While on final approach to the bay of Stjørdal, located approximately 25 km east of Trondheim, the pilot in command faced marginal weather conditions characterized by strong crosswinds.

During the landing phase over rough sea conditions, the seaplane experienced a bounce and subsequently struck the water surface with significant force. The impact caused the fuselage to fracture into two sections, resulting in the separation of the forward section, including the cockpit, from the remainder of the airframe. Sixteen passengers and three crew members were killed in the incident.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck the water surface violently after bouncing during a landing in rough seas and strong crosswinds, causing structural failure.