Crash of a Douglas C-47A-45-DL near Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée: 20 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 4, 1954 at 1430 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-24096
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tripoli – Rome – Hahn
MSN:
9958
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Wheelus AFB in Tripoli in the morning on a liaison flight to Hahn, near Frankfurt, with an intermediate stop at Rome-Ciampino Airport. Before departure from Rome, the crew received a basic weather bulletin and while cruising over the Alps, he encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and snow falls. While cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the airplane hit the slope of a mountain located near Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, about 65 km north of Nice. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 20 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Edward B. Eden 1.
Crew:
Cpt Edward B. Eden 1.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight path by several km due to strong winds gusting up to 80 knots. Due to low visibility caused by poor weather conditions (clouds and snow falls), the crew failed to recognize the heading deviation and was unable to distinguish the mountain. In such condition, the crew did not proceed to any correction until the aircraft impacted terrain.
