2008 Polish Air Force C-295 Mirosławiec crash

The Mirosławiec air accident occurred in Poland on 23 January 2008 when an EADS CASA C-295 military transport plane crashed as it approached the Mirosławiec runway, killing all passengers and crew. The Polish Air Force plane had been flying from Warsaw to the 12th Air Base in Mirosławiec, and the 20 victims included high-ranking Polish air force officers.[1][2]

Mirosławiec air disaster
A CASA C-295 of the Polish Air Force similar to the accident aircraft.
Accident
Date23 January 2008
SummaryPilot error
SiteMirosławiec, Poland
53°22′48″N 16°06′39″E
Aircraft typeEADS CASA C-295
OperatorPolish Air Force
Registration019
Flight originWarsaw Frederic Chopin Airport, Poland
Destination12th Air Base, Mirosławiec, Poland
Passengers16
Crew4
Fatalities20
Injuries0
Survivors0
State funeral of the crash victims
Memorial at crash site

Although this was the first serious accident of a CASA C-295, after the accident all Polish C-295s were grounded until further notice.[3] In the subsequent investigations the primary cause of the accident was determined to be an inadvertent loss of spatial and situational awareness by the aircraft crew during the landing approach in poor weather conditions, with a low cloud ceiling and little visibility.[4] A number of secondary causes and contributing factors were also found by the investigation after the accident, including deficiencies in the air traffic controllers' skills and methods of directing and controlling the landing.[5] Military experts had qualified it as "the safest plane of the Polish air force". [6]

The Polish defence minister Bogdan Klich dismissed five air force personnel after the accident investigation concluded that multiple failings contributed to the crash.[7]

Fatalities

From 1st Tactical Air Force Brigade in Świdwin

From 12th Air Base in Mirosławiec

  • Col. Jerzy Piłat – commander of the Mirosławiec air base.[8]
  • Lt. Col. Dariusz Pawlak – squadron commander[9]

From 8th Tactical Squadron in Mirosławiec

  • Maj. Grzegorz Jułga
  • Capt. Paweł Zdunek
  • Capt. Karol Szmigiel

From 21st Air Base in Świdwin

  • Col. Dariusz Maciąg – base commander of 21st Air Base
  • Maj. Piotr Firlingier

From 22nd Air Base in Malbork

  • Col. Zbigniew Książek

From 40. Tactical Squadron in Świdwin

  • Col. Wojciech Maniewski
  • Capt. Leszek Ziemski
  • Capt. Grzegorz Stepaniuk
  • Maj. Krzysztof Smółka from Air Force Command

CASA C-295M 019 crew

  • Maj. Jarosław Haładus
  • Lt. Robert Kuźma
  • Lt. Michał Smyczyński
  • Sgt. Janusz Adamczyk

See also

Notes
  1. "Polish army plane in fatal crash". BBC News. 24 January 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  2. "Katastrofa samolotu wojskowego na Pomorzu Zachodnim" (in Polish). Trojmiasto.pl. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  3. "Poland grounds C-295 transports after 20 killed in crash". Flight Global. 25 January 2008.
  4. "ASN Aircraft accident CASA C-295M 019 Miroslawiec AB". Aviation-safety.net. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  5. PROTOKÓŁ badania zdarzenia lotniczego nr 127/2008/2 – wypadku ciężkiego (katastrofy lotniczej) samolotu CASA C-295M numer 019, zaistniałego w 13 eskadrze lotnictwa transportowego z Krakowa, dnia 23 stycznia 2008 r., w środę., o godz. 19.07, w nocy IFR, Komisja Badania Wypadków Lotniczych Lotnictwa Państwowego, Warszawa, 20 marca 2008, pages 27-35
  6. https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2008/01/24/internacional/1201165500.html
  7. "Polish air force dismisses five personnel following C-295 crash report". Flight Global. 14 April 2008.
  8. "Twenty killed in Polish military plane crash". CTVNews. 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2017-07-19.
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