Vágar | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On final approach to Vágar Airport runway 12, the crew encountered extreme atmospheric turbulences. Control was lost and the aircraft crashed on the slope of a mountain located 2 km short of runway. All nine occupants were killed, among them Admiral Hans Jørgen Garde, Chief of the Danish Army, and his wife Anna garde. At the time of the accident, the visibility was good but severe turbulences were present in the approach path.

Crash of a Partenavia P.68B Observer near Tórshavn: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1987

Type of aircraft:

Partenavia P.68

Operator:

Octavia Air

Registration:

G-SPOT

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Aberdeen – Vágar

MSN:

YOM:

1981

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Vágar Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility when the aircraft struck a rocky face (150 metres high) located 15 km southeast from the airport, near Tórshavn. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 600 in Vágar

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1975

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

OY-APD

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Copenhagen - Vágar

MSN:

10437

YOM:

1970

Location:

Vágar

Country:

Faroe Islands

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

9122

Aircraft flight cycles:

5834

Circumstances:

After touchdown on runway 31 and a course of 950 metres, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway to the left and came to rest against an embankment located 85 metres to the left of the runway. All 26 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was reported the aircraft landed with a 9 knots crosswind and a 6 knots tailwind component. Also, the runway was covered with water and ice at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 300 on Mt Knúkur: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1970 at 1056 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

TF-FIL

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Reykjavik – Vágar

MSN:

10356

YOM:

1968

Flight number:

FI701

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

5419

Aircraft flight cycles:

3390

Circumstances:

Flights from Reykjavik to Vágar were cancelled on 23 and 24 September. On 25 September, while approaching the Faroe Islands, weather was poor and the crew diverted to Bergen Airport, Norway. In the morning of 26 September, it appears that weather conditions improved slightly at Vágar Airport. On approach, the crew encountered clouds and limited visibility so the pilot was unable to locate the fjord mouth. Following a holding circuit of 25 minutes over the MY NDB, the crew initiated a descent. A minute later, while at an altitude of 1,55 feet, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Knukur located few km from the airfield. A crew members and seven passengers were killed while 26 other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident was that FI 701 began a descent through cloud procedure from a starting point other than over "MY" NDB. During this procedure the aircraft hit close to the highest point of Myggenaes at an altitude of about 1500 ft. The reason for starting the procedure from a position other than "MY", has probably been an interference caused by FI 701's weather radar, which on the ADF's has given the crew an erroneous indication that they were passing "MY" NDB.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland MR.5 off Vágar Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

PP155

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Location:

Vágar

Country:

Faroe Islands

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Four crewmen of the 230th Squadron lost their lives when the seaplane crashed while attempting to alight in Tveraa Fjord in the Faroe Island to pick up a critically ill British seaman and convey him to hospital in Scotland. It is believed that the flying boat was struck by a squall just as it touched the water, causing it to capsize and sink almost immediately.
Crew:
F/Lt J. R. Hill, †
F/O A. A. Howardson, †
Sgt A. S. Cronk, †
F/S E. Davies, †
S/L E. C. Bennett,
F/Lt J. S. M. Jones 1.