Crash of a Vickers 739B Viscount off Elba Island: 23 killed
Date & Time:
Sep 29, 1960 at 1215 LT
Operator:
Registration:
SU-AKW
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Geneva – Rome – Athens – Cairo
MSN:
427
YOM:
21
Flight number:
MS738
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Aircraft flight hours:
1230
Aircraft flight cycles:
535
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed Geneva-Cointrin Airport at 1105LT bound for Rome-Fiumicino Airport. While cruising on airway A3 at an altitude of 21,000 feet, the crew requested permission to ATC to modify his route due to the presence of a low pressure area. Permission was granted and the crew modified his route when contact was lost. The airplane entered a dive and crashed into the Ligurian Sea, about 27 km north of Elbe Island. SAR operations were conducted but no trace of the airplane nor the 23 occupants was found. On October 3, tourists on their sailing ship found a wheel floating on water and the Italian Authorities confirmed it was part of the Egyptian airplane. Unfortunately, only few pieces were recovered.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the loss of control was the result of severe turbulences encountered in a thunderstorm area which caused the failure of certain components of the aircraft and a eventual structural failure.
