Civilian aviation in Trøndelag started in 1937 , when Norwegian Air Lines ( DNL ) started seaplane services from Ilsvika and Jonsvannet in Trondheim . These were terminated during World War II , but taken up again by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Norwegian Air Force during the summer of 1945 . They were terminated in November due to the weather and RAF 's withdrawal . The following year , DNL started services again , this time from Hommelvik . During winter , the route was not operated . The service was operated with a Short Sandringham flying boat to Oslo and Northern Norway , and a Junkers Ju 52 to Western Norway . The southbound and northbound Sandringhams and the Junkers all met at Hummelvik to exchange passengers . There was only room for two planes at the quay , so the third aircraft had to be anchored in the fjord . In 1947 , the airport had 3,500 passengers . On 2 October 1948 , the Bukkene Bruse Accident occurred , where a Sandringham aircraft crashed during landing , killing 19 people . In 1949 , a reserve airport was built at Skogn , and people were transported from Hommelvik to Skogn along the Nordland Line in case the reserve airport was used . DNL became part of Scandinavian Airlines System ( SAS ) in 1951 — the last year it used Hommelvik . Vestlandske Luftfartsselskap continued to use Hommelvik for some more year . Braathens SAFE started their route from Oslo Airport , Fornebu via Hamar Airport , Stafsberg and Røros Airport on 18 August 1953 . However , they chose to operate their de Havilland Herons from Trondheim Airport , Lade , just a few kilometers outside of the city center , in days with clear weather . Braathens SAFE moved all services to Værnes in 1956
Bukkene Bruse Accident
Bukken Bruse disaster
Trondheim Airport, Værnes