Thessaly / Θεσσαλία

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Budapest - Thessaloniki

MSN:

82A543

YOM:

1982

Flight number:

MA262

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7420

Captain / Total hours on type:

7000.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

566

Copilot / Total hours on type:

566

Aircraft flight hours:

22409

Aircraft flight cycles:

13583

Circumstances:

Originally, flight MA262 from Budapest to Thessaloniki should be performed by a Boeing 737-300 HA-LES but due to technical problems, a Tupolev TU-154B-2 was dispatched. Following an uneventful flight, the crew was cleared for a VOR/DME approach to runway 34 followed by a visual circle to land on runway 28 as the runway 34 was closed to traffic due to construction works. Because a Boeing 757 slowed to vacate the runway after landing, ATC instructed the crew to extend the downwind leg for runway 28. For unknown reasons, the crew failed to comply with this instructions and performed 'S'. On final approach, the tower controller informed the crew that he forgot to lower the undercarriage. The captain increased engine power and initiated a go-around procedure but this decision was too late. The aircraft continued to descend and struck the runway surface in a gear-up configuration at 1657LT. The aircraft suffered substantial damages but the crew managed to go-around and to follow a holding pattern. A safe landing was completed at 1715LT. All 94 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Despite repeated instructions of the control tower the crew did not carried out a short turn for landing, resulting in:
- The aircraft was not aligned with the runway in time (unstabilized approach).
- Attention of the cockpit crew was to exclusively dedicated to performing sudden maneuvers at low altitude, in order to align the plane with the runway.
- Failure to lower the undercarriage in accordance with the applicable procedures for this flight phase.
Contributing Factors:
- The apparent inactivation of the audible warning when the undercarriage was not deployed.
- Lack of Cockpit Resources Management.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 727-230A in Thessaloniki

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1997 at 1741 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 727-200

Operator:

Registration:

SX-CBI

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Athens - Thessaloniki - Frankfurt

MSN:

20791

YOM:

1974

Flight number:

OA171

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach to Thessaloniki Airport was completed in poor weather conditions. The aircraft landed too far down the runway and after touchdown, the crew realized he could not stop the aircraft within the remaining distance so he decided to veer off runway to the right. While contacting soft ground, the undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft came to rest. All 35 occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the wind was from 360° at 18 knots gusting to 28 knots with thunderstorm activity, rain falls and a visibility of 5 km.

Probable cause:

The following findings were reported:
- Poor weather conditions,
- The runway surface was wet and the braking action was considered as moderate to low,
- The flying crew consisted of two highly experienced captains,
- The crew was under stress during the final approach due to poor weather conditions,
- Wrong approach configuration as the aircraft was too high on the glide,
- The crew failed to follow the approach checklist,
- The aircraft landed too far down the runway, about a third past its threshold, reducing the landing distance available,
- Lack of crew coordination,
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Thessaloniki: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1995 at 1640 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-26

Operator:

Registration:

TZ-347

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kiev - Tunis - Bamako

MSN:

3303

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was ferried from Kiev to Bamako with an intermediate stop in Tunis following a complete revision at the Antonov factory in Kiev. En route from Kiev to Tunis, while flying over the north part of Greece, the crew informed ATC about technical problems and was cleared to divert to Thessaloniki-Makedonia Airport. As a radar (instrument) approach was not possible, the crew attempted to land under VFR mode in IMC conditions. On final, in limited visibility due to rain falls and fog, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 4 km short of runway. All six crew members were killed. It is possible that the crew encountered technical problems with fuel.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H on Mt Othrys: 63 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1991 at 1251 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

748

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Elefsis - Nea Anchialos

MSN:

4724

YOM:

1977

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew started the approach to Nea Anchialos in poor visibility due to bad weather conditions when the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Othrys located about 24 km southwest of Nea Anchialos Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 63 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 500 Citation I off Skiathos

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1984

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 500 Citation

Operator:

Registration:

OE-FAP

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Skiathos - Vienna

MSN:

500-0300

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Skiathos Island Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft lost height and crashed in the sea. All 10 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver AL1 in Vólos

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1962

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

XP815

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1474

YOM:

1961

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

At liftoff, the single engine airplane went out of control and crashed. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The visor sunblind fell over the pilot’s face during takeoff, causing the loss of control.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson near Volos: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1950

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

PH864

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

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Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying in clouds, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed about 11 km northeast of Volos. Both crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Farsala: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type: