Narrative:
Flight 901 departed Vienna for a flight to Warsaw and Moscow. The aircraft was approaching runway 07 of Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport when it contacted trees and crashed 11 km short of the runway.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The investigations revealed that there were no technical deficiencies in the aircraft itself or an meteorological phenomenon involved in the accident. The Austrian observers participating in the investigation of the accident were of the opinion that the accident was related to altitude measurement, inasmuch as it was apparent from radio communications as well as from the examination of the wreckage that that the crew believed that they were flying at the normal approach altitude. The erroneous altitude measurement may be attributed to: a) a technical deficiency of either of the two altimeters.; b) the divergent settings of the altimeters; or c) mission of altimeter reading or erroneous reading of altimeters. The internal mechanism of both altimeters was so heavily damaged that it could no longer be ascertained whether, at the time of the accident, the altimeters were functioning accurately. Both altimeters were set to the correct atmospheric pressure but their settings differed, namely the left altimeter was set at QFE 0990 mb and the right altimeter at 1013 mb, which in view of the prevailing atmospheric pressure conditions, could have corresponded both to QNH and to the standard pressure setting. Such divergent settings are at variance with the usual procedure of Austrian Airlines. The reasons prompting the flight captain to depart from the usual practice could not be ascertained. It was not possible to reach a categorical conclusion as to which of the three causes were responsible for an approach below the minimum flying altitude."
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Monday 26 September 1960 |
| Time: | 21:40 |
| Type: |  Vickers 837 Viscount |
| Operator: | Austrian Airlines |
| Registration: | OE-LAF |
| MSN: | 437 |
| First flight: | 1960-02-10 (8 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1273 |
| Cycles: | 872 |
| Engines: | 4 Rolls-Royce Dart 525/01 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 6 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 26 / Occupants: 31 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 31 / Occupants: 37 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 11 km (6.9 mls) W of Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO) ( Russia)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Warszawa-Okecie Airport (WAW/EPWA), Poland |
| Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO/UUEE), Russia | |
| Flightnumber: | 901 |
Flight 901 departed Vienna for a flight to Warsaw and Moscow. The aircraft was approaching runway 07 of Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport when it contacted trees and crashed 11 km short of the runway.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The investigations revealed that there were no technical deficiencies in the aircraft itself or an meteorological phenomenon involved in the accident. The Austrian observers participating in the investigation of the accident were of the opinion that the accident was related to altitude measurement, inasmuch as it was apparent from radio communications as well as from the examination of the wreckage that that the crew believed that they were flying at the normal approach altitude. The erroneous altitude measurement may be attributed to: a) a technical deficiency of either of the two altimeters.; b) the divergent settings of the altimeters; or c) mission of altimeter reading or erroneous reading of altimeters. The internal mechanism of both altimeters was so heavily damaged that it could no longer be ascertained whether, at the time of the accident, the altimeters were functioning accurately. Both altimeters were set to the correct atmospheric pressure but their settings differed, namely the left altimeter was set at QFE 0990 mb and the right altimeter at 1013 mb, which in view of the prevailing atmospheric pressure conditions, could have corresponded both to QNH and to the standard pressure setting. Such divergent settings are at variance with the usual procedure of Austrian Airlines. The reasons prompting the flight captain to depart from the usual practice could not be ascertained. It was not possible to reach a categorical conclusion as to which of the three causes were responsible for an approach below the minimum flying altitude."
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Ground
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 Warszawa-Okecie Airport to Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport as the crow flies is 1142 km (714 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Warszawa-Okecie Airport to Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport as the crow flies is 1142 km (714 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
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.
languages: 
Russia
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Vickers Viscount
- 445 built
- 31st loss
- 18th fatal accident
- 5th worst accident (at the time)
- 24th worst accident (currently)
Russia- 6th worst accident (at the time)
- 84th worst accident (currently)
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