Olympic flight 171 was carried out by Boeing 727 “Megas Alexandros”. The aircraft was flown by two highly experienced captains. Weather at Thessaloniki was poor with a thunderstorm passing over the airport. Winds were reported as 360 deg/18 knots gusting to 28 kts; visibility 5km in heavy rain, scattered clouds at 2500 feet and overcast at 8000 feet. The flight crew carried out a non-precision VOR/DME approach to runway 34 (2410 m long). The crew were under pressure from the thunderstorm at the airfield and inadequate crew cooperation caused some approach procedures not to be applied. The aircraft touched down beyond the first third of the runway and could not be stopped on the remaining runway. The airplane was steered off the right side of the runway when an overrun into the sea seemed imminent. The undercarriage collapsed.