Remscheid plane crash

Remscheid plane crash

The Remscheid plane crash occurred on 8 December 1988, when a USAF attack jet, A-10 Thunderbolt II crashed onto a residential area in the city of Remscheid, Germany. The aircraft hit a house and smashed onto nearby company grounds. Besides the pilot five people were killed. 50 people were seriously injured.

According to press reports [ [http://openweb.tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/1988-12/1988-12-08-NBC-12.html West Germany / United States Plane Crash NBC News broadcast from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive ] ] the plane was engaged in a low-altitude flight exercise. It belonged to a unit from Bentwaters air base but at the time of the accident was stationed at the Nörvenich air base. [ [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm198889/cmhansrd/1988-12-12/Writtens-8.html House of Commons Hansard Debates for 12 Dec 1988 ] ]

Aftermath

When the number of cancer cases in the vicinity of the accident rose disproportionately in the years after, [ [http://www.mdr.de/fakt/160518.html Remscheid | DasErste.de ] ] suspicion rose that the jet, contrary to US statements, may have been loaded with ammunition containing uranium. Another unconfirmed suspicion was that the flight control surfaces had trim weights from depleted uranium applied, which would have contaminated the soil around the site of the crash.

A test of soil samples from 250 meters around the place of the crash, conducted in 2002, however revealed no traces of depleted uranium. [http://www.munlv.nrw.de/extern/archiv/munlv/pressemitteilungen/ue020410.htm]

Another possible explanation for the increased cancer rate in the surroundings, which gained credibility because no uranium was found, is that the aircraft carried JP-8 fuel. This jet propellant is considered highly toxic and may have spread around the place of the crash. [ [http://emanzipationhumanum.de/deutsch/gift01.html JP-8 Militär-Treibstoff ] ]

References

External links

* New York Times: [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE4DB163AF93AA35751C1A96E948260 U.S. Plane Crashes Into German City]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • List of accidents and incidents involving military aircraft, 1975-1999 — This is a list of notable accidents and incidents involving military aircraft grouped by the year in which the accident or incident occurred. For more exhaustive lists, see the [http://www.baaa acro.com/ Aircraft Crash Record Office] or the [http …   Wikipedia

  • Pan Am Flight 103 — Flight 103 redirects here. For other uses, see Flight 103 (disambiguation). Pan Am Flight 103 CGI impression of Clipper Maid of the Seas immediately after the explosion Occurrence summary …   Wikipedia

  • Death of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq — The President of Pakistan, General Muhammad Zia ul Haq died in a plane crash on August 17, 1988, about which several conspiracy theories exist. Contents 1 Crash 2 Investigation 2.1 US conclusions 2.2 …   Wikipedia

  • Ramstein airshow disaster — The only medical emergency standby MEDEVAC helicopter was hit by one of the falling aircraft, fatally injuring its pilot, Capt. Kim Strader. Accident summary …   Wikipedia

  • Iran Air Flight 655 — Artist s depiction of A300 EP IBU Occurrence summary Date 3 July 1988 …   Wikipedia

  • Aloha Airlines Flight 243 — Coordinates: 20°53.919′N 156°25.827′W / 20.89865°N 156.43045°W / 20.89865; 156.43045 …   Wikipedia

  • Delta Air Lines Flight 1141 — Accident summary Date August 31, 1988 Type Pilot error (failure to set flaps and slats correctly) and takeoff warning horn failure …   Wikipedia

  • Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II — A 10 redirects here. For other uses, see A10. A 10 Thunderbolt II An A 10 from the 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air …   Wikipedia

  • Military history of Gibraltar during World War II — v · …   Wikipedia

  • Fairchild-Republic A-10 — Thunderbolt II …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”