Date & Time:
Oct 7, 1961 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
G-AMSW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
London-Gatwick – Perpignan
MSN:
16171/32919
YOM:
1945
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
31
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
34
Captain / Total hours on type:
3682
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1764
Aircraft flight hours:
13658
Circumstances:
The aircraft was coming from Gatwick, England, and after reporting over Toulouse at about 0030 hours GMT it headed directly for Perpignan, France, at flight level 75. It was expected over the aerodrome at about 0112, and it was seen shortly before 0100 by various witnesses in the Prades area, during intermittent rain and wind of variable force. It struck the mountain side in level flight in the Canigou Massif at about 0100 hours. The wreckage, located at an elevation of 2 200 m at 1350 on the same day by a Search and Rescue Constellation, was destroyed by the impact and by fire. There were no survivors. Three crew and 31 passengers were aboard the flight.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to a navigational error, the origin of which it was not possible to determine for lack of sufficient evidence.
Final Report:
G-AMSW.pdf8.46 MB
