ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 707-437 VT-DMN Mont Blanc
ASN logo
 
 
Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 24 January 1966
Time:07:02 UTC
Type:Silhouette image of generic B704 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Boeing 707-437
Operator:Air-India
Registration: VT-DMN
MSN: 18055/200
First flight: 1961
Total airframe hrs:16188
Engines: 4 Rolls-Royce Conway 508
Crew:Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11
Passengers:Fatalities: 106 / Occupants: 106
Total:Fatalities: 117 / Occupants: 117
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Mont Blanc (   France)
Crash site elevation: 4750 m (15584 feet) amsl
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Beirut International Airport (BEY/OLBA), Lebanon
Destination airport:Genève-Cointrin Airport (GVA/LSGG), Switzerland
Flightnumber: 101
Narrative:
The Boeing 707, named "Kanchenjunga", operated on a flight from Mumbai (Bombay) to London via Delhi, Beirut and Geneva. The flight to and takeoff from Beirut where routine, except for a failure of the no. 2 VOR. At 07:00 GMT the pilot reported reaching FL190 to Geneva ACC. He was told to maintain that flight level "unless able to descend VMC one thousand on top". The pilot confirmed this and added that they were passing abeam Mont Blanc. The controller noted that the flight wasn't abeam Mont Blanc yet and radioed "you have 5 miles to the Mont Blanc", to which the pilot answered with "Roger." Flight 101 then started to descend from FL190 until it struck the Mont Blanc at an elevation of 15585 feet (4750 m).

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The commission concluded that the most likely hypothesis was the following: a) The pilot-in-command, who knew on leaving Beirut that one of the VORs was unserviceable, miscalculated his position in relation to Mont Blanc and reported his own estimate of this position to the controller; the radar controller noted the error, determined the position of the aircraft correctly and passed a communication to the aircraft which, he believed, would enable it to correct its position.; b) For want of a sufficiently precise phraseology, the correction was mis-understood by the pilot who, under the mistaken impression that he had passed the ridge leading to the summit and was still at a flight level which afforded sufficient safety clearance over the top of Mont Blanc, continued his descent."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: BEA France
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 1 months
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Language/communication problems
Navigational error
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain

Sources:
» ICAO Circular Accident Digest 18-I


Photos

photo of Boeing-707-437-VT-DMN
accident date: 24-01-1966
type: Boeing 707-437
registration: VT-DMN
 

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 Beirut International Airport to Genève-Cointrin Airport as the crow flies is 2815 km (1759 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: languages

Share

Boeing 707

  • 858 built
  • 16th loss
  • 13th fatal accident
  • 2nd worst accident (at the time)
  • 9th worst accident (currently)
» safety profile

 France
  • 2nd worst accident (at the time)
  • 6th worst accident (currently)
» safety profile

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org