Narrative:
The Lockheed Constellation was on a flight from Paris to Vienna via Munich and departed Munich at 19:58 GMT. After an ILS let-down the pilot started to make a visual circuit . In the base leg turn the aircraft crashed 2200 m short of the runway 30 threshold.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "It is possible to establish that there was no question of a technical malfunction, and that the flight crew lost sight of the ground in the base leg turn, at which time the aircraft adopted an abnormal attitude for this manoeuvre which led to the crash. Presumably the accident could have been avoided through immediate discontinuation of the approach procedure (immediate changeover to climb - heading for radio beacon OEW) following loss of visibility."
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 24 December 1958 |
| Time: | 20:59 UTC |
| Type: |  Lockheed L-749A Constellation |
| Operator: | Air France |
| Registration: | F-BAZX |
| MSN: | 2527 |
| First flight: | 1947 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 29658 |
| Engines: | 4 Wright R-3350 (749C18BD1) Cyclone |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 28 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 34 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 2,2 km (1.4 mls) SSE of Wien-Schwechat International Airport (VIE) ( Austria)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | München-Riem Airport (MUC/EDDM), Germany |
| Wien-Schwechat International Airport (VIE/LOWW), Austria | |
| Flightnumber: | AF703 |
The Lockheed Constellation was on a flight from Paris to Vienna via Munich and departed Munich at 19:58 GMT. After an ILS let-down the pilot started to make a visual circuit . In the base leg turn the aircraft crashed 2200 m short of the runway 30 threshold.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "It is possible to establish that there was no question of a technical malfunction, and that the flight crew lost sight of the ground in the base leg turn, at which time the aircraft adopted an abnormal attitude for this manoeuvre which led to the crash. Presumably the accident could have been avoided through immediate discontinuation of the approach procedure (immediate changeover to climb - heading for radio beacon OEW) following loss of visibility."
Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest Circular 62-AN/57 (48-50)Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from München-Riem Airport to Wien-Schwechat International Airport as the crow flies is 360 km (225 miles).
Distance from München-Riem Airport to Wien-Schwechat International Airport as the crow flies is 360 km (225 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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