1988 Remscheid A-10 crash
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| Accident summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | December 8, 1988 |
| Type | Crash during low-altitude flight |
| Site | Remscheid, West Germany |
| Passengers | 0 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Injuries | 50 (all on the ground) |
| Fatalities | 6, including 5 on the ground |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Aircraft type | A-10 Thunderbolt II |
| Operator | United States Air Force |
| Flight origin | Nörvenich Airforce Base |
The 1987 Remscheid A-10 crash occurred on December 8, 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[1] 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.[2]
[edit] Aftermath
When the number of cancer cases in the vicinity of the accident rose disproportionately in the years after,[3] suspicion rose[4] that the jet, contrary to US statements, may have been loaded with ammunition containing depleted uranium. Another unconfirmed suspicion[who?] 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.[5]
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.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ "West Germany / United States Plane Crash NBC News broadcast from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive". Archived from the original on 2009-05-27. http://www.webcitation.org/5h5sShoVZ. Retrieved on 2009-05-25.
- ^ House of Commons Hansard Debates for 12 Dec 1988
- ^ Remscheid | DasErste.de
- ^ Journal of Environmental Health Aug 2005
- ^ http://www.munlv.nrw.de/extern/archiv/munlv/pressemitteilungen/ue020410.htm
- ^ JP-8 Militär-Treibstoff
[edit] External links
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