Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 29 February 1964
Aircraft Type: Bristol 175 Britannia 312
Owner/operator: British Eagle International Airlines
Registration Number: G-AOVO
Location: Mt. Glungezer – ÿ Austria
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 83 / Occupants: 83
Component Affected: Aircraft control systems and flight management systems.Aircraft control systems and flight management systems.
Category: Accident
A Bristol 175 Britannia flight 802/6 crashed on Mount Glungezer, Austria, resulting in the deaths of all 83 occupants. The flight departed London at 12:04 GMT and altered its flight plan to VFR from Kempten NDB, descending directly to Seefeld. The aircraft remained in the vicinity of Innsbruck VOR at FL110, unable to break through the clouds, and finally reported at FL100. A subsequent avalanche carried debris downhill, resulting in a collision with the mountain’s eastern flank at an altitude of 2600 meters. The Archivist for the Eagle Group of Companies in the UK is investigating potential relatives of the passengers.A Bristol 175 Britannia flight 802/6 crashed on Mount Glungezer, Austria, resulting in the deaths of all 83 occupants. The flight departed London at 12:04 GMT and altered its flight plan to VFR from Kempten NDB, descending directly to Seefeld. The aircraft remained in the vicinity of Innsbruck VOR at FL110, unable to break through the clouds, and finally reported at FL100. A subsequent avalanche carried debris downhill, resulting in a collision with the mountain’s eastern flank at an altitude of 2600 meters. The Archivist for the Eagle Group of Companies in the UK is investigating potential relatives of the passengers.

Description

British Eagle flight 802/6, a Bristol 175 Britannia, impacted Mount Glungezer, Austria, killing all 83 occupants. British Eagle Flight 802/6 departed London at 12:04 GMT with destination Innsbruck, Austria. At 13:35 the flight contacted Munich ATC and reported over the Kempten NDB nine minutes later, changing its IFR flight plan to VFR from Kempten to Innsbruck. Two minutes later the crew contacted Innsbruck and reported descending VMC directly to Seefeld. Over the Innsbruck VOR at FL110, the airplane was still unable to break the clouds. The last message from the flight was at 14:12 when it reported at FL100. The descent was continued until the airplane collided with the steep eastern flank of the Glungezer Mountain at an altitude of 2600 m (8500 ft). An avalanche occurred, carrying most of the aircraft debris downhill for about 400 m. The Archivist for the Eagle Group of Companies in the UK is seeking to locate passenger relatives of this Britannia accident near Innsbruck. Are your a relative? Please contact britisheagleint@aol.com. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The primary cause was the erroneous decision of the pilot-in-command to descend, below the stipulated minimum safe altitude in the weather conditions prevailing at the time, as a result of which he was unable to conduct the flight in accordance with visual flight rules.”

Primary Cause

Erroneous descent below minimum safe altitude due to weather conditions.Erroneous descent below minimum safe altitude due to weather conditions.

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