Narrative:
The Douglas C-47 took off from Gatwick (LGW) at 20:43 UTC on a charter flight to Perpignan (PGF), France. The crew reported over Toulouse at 00:30 UTC, heading for Perpignan at FL75, and estimating an arrival over Perpignan at 01:12. In an area of intermittent rain and wind of variable forces, the plane struck a mountainside at 2200 m altitude.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was attributed to a navigational error, the origin of which it was not possible to determine for lack of sufficient evidence."
accident date: 07-10-1961
type: Douglas C-47B (DC-3)
registration: G-AMSW
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Saturday 7 October 1961 |
| Time: | 01:00 UTC |
| Type: |  Douglas C-47B-30-DK Dakota 4 |
| Operator: | Derby Airways |
| Registration: | G-AMSW |
| MSN: | 32919/16171 |
| First flight: | 1945 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 13658 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90C |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 31 / Occupants: 31 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 34 / Occupants: 34 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Mont Canigou ( France)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Int'l Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | London-Gatwick Airport (LGW/EGKK), United Kingdom |
| Perpignan Airport (PGF/LFMP), France |
The Douglas C-47 took off from Gatwick (LGW) at 20:43 UTC on a charter flight to Perpignan (PGF), France. The crew reported over Toulouse at 00:30 UTC, heading for Perpignan at FL75, and estimating an arrival over Perpignan at 01:12. In an area of intermittent rain and wind of variable forces, the plane struck a mountainside at 2200 m altitude.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was attributed to a navigational error, the origin of which it was not possible to determine for lack of sufficient evidence."
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» ICAO Digest 13 (Circular 69)Photos
accident date: 07-10-1961
type: Douglas C-47B (DC-3)
registration: G-AMSW
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 London-Gatwick Airport to Perpignan Airport as the crow flies is 956 km (598 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from London-Gatwick Airport to Perpignan Airport as the crow flies is 956 km (598 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: 
France
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Douglas DC-3
- ca 13.000 built
- 3561st loss
- 1385th fatal accident
- 5th worst accident (at the time)
- 19th worst accident (currently)
France- 8th worst accident (at the time)
- 21st worst accident (currently)
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