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Crash of a Douglas DC-8-62 in Athens: 14 killed
Date & Time:
Oct 7, 1979 at 2116 LT
Registration:
HB-IDE
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Zurich – Geneva – Athens – Bombay – Beijing
MSN:
45919/312
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
SR316
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
144
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Captain / Total hours on type:
2637.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
805
Aircraft flight hours:
46418
Aircraft flight cycles:
16609
Circumstances:
The approach to runway 15L was unstable. At an excessive speed of 150 knots, the four engine airplane landed about 800-900 meters down the runway 15L, on a wet surface. The crew failed to use all available braking systems and unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran at a speed of 40 knots, went through a perimeter fence and descended a ravine before coming to rest in flames. 20 passengers were injured while 120 other occupants escaped uninjured. Unfortunately, 14 passengers were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a succession of errors on part of the flying crew, among them:
- The aircraft was unstable on final approach,
- The crew landed too far down the runway with a touchdown point estimated 800 to 900 meters past the runway threshold,
- The aircraft's speed at touchdown was excessive (150 knots),
- The crew failed to apply brakes according to published procedures, especially the wheel brakes in known adverse weather conditions,
- Wrong approach configuration,
- The crew has been informed prior to landing that the braking coefficient was medium to poor,
- The runway surface was wet due to recent rain falls.
- The aircraft was unstable on final approach,
- The crew landed too far down the runway with a touchdown point estimated 800 to 900 meters past the runway threshold,
- The aircraft's speed at touchdown was excessive (150 knots),
- The crew failed to apply brakes according to published procedures, especially the wheel brakes in known adverse weather conditions,
- Wrong approach configuration,
- The crew has been informed prior to landing that the braking coefficient was medium to poor,
- The runway surface was wet due to recent rain falls.
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Crash of a Convair CV-990-30A-6 Coronado in Würenlingen: 47 killed
Date & Time:
Feb 21, 1970 at 1334 LT
Registration:
HB-ICD
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Zurich - Tel Aviv
MSN:
30-10-15
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
SR330
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
38
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
47
Captain / Total hours on type:
1612.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1969
Aircraft flight hours:
24447
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Zurich-Kloten Airport runway 28 at 1314LT bound for Tel Aviv with 38 passengers and nine crew members on board. Seven minutes later, while climbing to an altitude of 14,000 feet some 41 km south of the airport, the captain contacted ATC and declared an emergency stating that a denotation occurred in the cargo compartment and that the cabin pressure was dropping. He requested an immediate return to Zurich and during the following minutes, he reported successively that smoke spread in the cabin and cockpit and that some of the instruments were unserviceable. He also reported the failure of the electrical system and asked for a radar assistance. While he was vectored to the airport, the copilot said 'smoke on board, I don't see anything' then the captain reported 'we are falling, goodbye everyone'. The airplane then completed a 180 turn, nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion in a wooded area located near the village of Würenlingen, some 22 km northwest of runway 14 threshold. The airplane totally disintegrated on impact and all 47 occupants were killed. At the time of impact, the airplane was in a nose-down attitude of 12° and at a speed of 422 knots and in a slight left bank. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were marginal with rain falls, a cloud base at 300 meters, overcast till 600 meters, visibility up to 5 km and wind 15-20 knots. Among the passengers were 15 Israelis, nine Germans, five Americans, two Canadians, two Mexicans, one Belgian, one French, one British, one Thai and 10 Swiss citizens, among them all nine crew members.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the tragedy was the consequence of the detonation of an explosive device (bomb) that was placed on board, in the cargo hold. Connected to an altimeter, the bomb exploded once the altitude of 14,000 feet was reached, causing severe damages to the fuselage, the control systems and causing smoke to spread in the cabin. The act of sabotage was later claimed by the Palestinian group Abu Jihad who justified the terrorist act by the presence of several Israel senior officials on board. No human error and no technical discrepancy were reported during investigations. The fire that followed the explosion damaged some of the generators, creating several electrical short circuits that made it impossible to continue the operation of the aircraft.
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Crash of a Convair CV-440 Metropolitan in Zurich: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Feb 10, 1967 at 0746 LT
Registration:
HB-IMF
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Zurich - Zurich
MSN:
355
YOM:
1956
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total hours on type:
2539.00
Aircraft flight hours:
24343
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Zurich-Kloten runway 28 at 0743LT on a local training mission, carrying an instructor and three student pilots. During initial climb, the captain turn slightly to the right and continued at low height when the aircraft contacted tree tops, stalled and crashed in a wooded area located in Regensberg, about 8 km northwest of the airport. Debris scattered on more than 200 meters and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the instructor decided to make a turn to the right after rotation rather than to follow the published procedures asking the crew to make a turn to the left. The reason of this decision could not be determined. Due to an insufficient height, the airplane struck tree tops, stalled and crashed in a dense wooded area. The lack of visibility caused by foggy conditions was considered as a contributing factor.
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Crash of an Aérospatiale Caravelle in Dürrenäsch: 80 killed
Date & Time:
Sep 4, 1963 at 0622 LT
Registration:
HB-ICV
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Zurich - Geneva - Rome
MSN:
147
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
SR306
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
80
Captain / Total hours on type:
380.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
380
Aircraft flight hours:
3400
Aircraft flight cycles:
2900
Circumstances:
Flight SR-306 was a scheduled international flight from Zürich to Rome, with an intermediate stop at Geneva. Dense fog was existing at the time of departure and at 0600 hours the flight was informed that the RVR was 180 m for runway 34 and 60 m for runway 16, and that there was a light northerly wind (1 to 2 kt). At 0604 hours the flight was authorized to taxi to runway 34 behind an accompanying vehicle. At 0605 the crew reported that they will taxi half way down runway 34 to inspect the fog condition and then return to takeoff position. This was done, using at times considerable engine power probably in an attempt to disperse the fog: Around 0612 hours the aircraft was back to the threshold of runway 34 and permission to takeoff was granted. The flight took off at 0613 hours and started to climb to flight level 150, its cruising altitude. Four minutes later witnesses on the ground noticed a whitish trail of smoke on the left side of the aircraft and suddenly a long flame from the left wing-root. Around 0620 hours the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 2700 m, it then began to lose height, entered a gentle left turn loosing height more rapidly and finally went into a steep dive. Parts of the aircraft became detached and at 0621 hours a "MAYDAY" message was received. At 0622 hours the aircraft crashed into the ground on the outskirts of Dürrenäsch, at an elevation of 559 m, approximately 35 km from Zürich-Kloten Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact, causing a huge crater at the point of impact and all 80 occupants were killed, among them 43 habitants of the small village of Humlikon (200 habitants in total). Farmers specialized in milk business, they were flying to Geneva to visit a milk-farm.
Probable cause:
The crash was due to the destruction of essential structural parts of the aircraft by a fire caused by overheating of the brakes during the taxiing phase.
Final Report:
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Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DL off Romanshorn: 9 killed
Date & Time:
Jun 19, 1957 at 1020 LT
Registration:
HB-IRK
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Zurich - Zurich
MSN:
20737
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Zurich-Kloten at 0857LT on a local training flight, carrying one instructor, five student pilots, two engineers and one technician. The airplane followed different circuits at an altitude between 1,000 and 3,000 meters when control was lost over the Constance Lake. The aircraft went into a spin and crashed into the lake about 4 km off Romanshorn. The wreckage sank by a depth of 200 meters and only few debris were found on water and on the bank between Romanshorn and Arbon. All nine occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
Thorough investigation of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any technical malfunction. On impact with the water the aircraft was in the following configuration:
- undercarriage fully extended; flaps retracted; trim position impossible to determine; right propeller not feathered; twin RPM indicator showed left engine - 1 550 RPM, right engine - 1 350 RPM.
The accident is attributed to the stalling of the aircraft following loss of airspeed, whereupon it unintentionally went into a spin. In view of insufficient altitude, it was not possible to level off the aircraft.
- undercarriage fully extended; flaps retracted; trim position impossible to determine; right propeller not feathered; twin RPM indicator showed left engine - 1 550 RPM, right engine - 1 350 RPM.
The accident is attributed to the stalling of the aircraft following loss of airspeed, whereupon it unintentionally went into a spin. In view of insufficient altitude, it was not possible to level off the aircraft.
Final Report:
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Crash of a Convair CV-440-11 Metropolitan in Shannon: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 15, 1956 at 0135 LT
Registration:
HB-IMD
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San Diego – New York – Gander – Shannon – Zurich
MSN:
335
YOM:
1956
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed from San Diego, California, at 0407LT on 12 July for Zurich Airport, Switzerland, with two American pilots at the control, on a delivery flight to Swissair. Intermediate stops included New York, Gander and Shannon. Having left New York at 1240 GMT on 14 July 1956, the aircraft landed at Gander at 1659 GMT. After a stop of 57 minutes, it left Gander for Shannon at 1748 GMT carrying the same crew of 4 members. Following an uneventful ocean crossing the aircraft at 0008 hours on 15 July was given initial descent clearance to Shannon and was then cleared into the Shannon Holding Pattern, where four other aircraft were holding. At 0125 hours the aircraft commenced a Ground Controlled Approach to runway 23 and on establishing visual reference to the ground broke off the approach for a left-hand visual circuit to runway 05. During the turn onto final approach to runway 05, the aircraft, while banking steeply was observed to drop. The aircraft was destroyed on impact with the ground at approximately 0135LT and the 4 occupants were killed. There was no fire.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident was an error of judgment by the pilot, resulting in the execution of an abnormally steep turn onto final approach during which the aircraft slipped into the ground.
Possible contributory factors were:
- That for the successful execution of an approach involving a steep turn near the ground on a very dark night, there had been insufficient visual guidance from the terrain,
- Impairment of the pilots' proficiency due to the length of the period on duty.
Possible contributory factors were:
- That for the successful execution of an approach involving a steep turn near the ground on a very dark night, there had been insufficient visual guidance from the terrain,
- Impairment of the pilots' proficiency due to the length of the period on duty.
Final Report:
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