Olympic Airways Flight 954

Olympic Airways Flight 954

A Douglas DC-6 similar to the accident aircraft
Accident summary
Date	8 December 1969
Summary	Controlled flight into terrain
Site	Near Keratea, Greece
Passengers	85
Crew	5
Fatalities	90 (all)
Survivors	0
Aircraft type	Douglas DC-6B
Operator	Olympic Airways
Registration	SX-DAE
Flight origin	Chania International Airport
Destination	Athens-Ellinikon International Airport

Olympic Airways Flight 954 was a Douglas DC-6B aircraft that crashed into a mountain near Keratea (approx. coordinates 37°48' N, 23°57' E), Greece. All 85 passengers and 5 crew on board died in the crash.

The crash

The flight was a domestic scheduled passenger service from Chania on the island of Crete to Athens. While on approach to Athens and with its undercarriage retracted, the aircraft struck Mount Paneio at an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet. The weather at the time of the crash consisted of rain and high winds.

The crash of Flight 954 was the deadliest aviation accident in Greek history at the time it took place, a record it maintained until the crash of Helios Airways Flight 522 nearly thirty-six years later. It is still the deadliest aviation accident involving a Douglas DC-6., and deadliest crash in the history of Olympic Airways.

Cause

It was ruled that the flight crew had deviated from the proper track and descended below the minimum safe altitude while making an ILS approach.

External links

• 1969 Keratea Olympic Airlines DC-6 crash at AirDisaster.com