When you think of tornadoes, the Netherlands will probably not be the first country you think of. However, close by here, a unique event took place. The only air crash ever to be caused directly by a tornado.
On October 6th, 1981, city hopper 431 flew slap into an EF1 tornado that had formed over the water of the Hollands Diep during heavy thunder storms. The heavy g-force snapped the right wing and the aircraft plunged into a railroad track on the Moerdijk industry area. All hands, 17 in total, were lost plus a spectator on the ground who got a heart attack when he saw the aircraft go down.
A plaque at the spot still remembers the tragic event.
A plaque as monument to the crash (my photo)
The railroad on which the Fokker F-28 crashed ( my photo):
What it looked like directly after the crash (internet)
The tornado that caused it all (internet)
On October 6th, 1981, city hopper 431 flew slap into an EF1 tornado that had formed over the water of the Hollands Diep during heavy thunder storms. The heavy g-force snapped the right wing and the aircraft plunged into a railroad track on the Moerdijk industry area. All hands, 17 in total, were lost plus a spectator on the ground who got a heart attack when he saw the aircraft go down.
A plaque at the spot still remembers the tragic event.
A plaque as monument to the crash (my photo)
The railroad on which the Fokker F-28 crashed ( my photo):
What it looked like directly after the crash (internet)
The tornado that caused it all (internet)
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