What happened
On December 8, 1969, a scheduled domestic flight operated by Olympic Airways crashed during its approach to Athens. The aircraft, a Douglas DC-6B, was traveling from Chania on the island of $Crete$ to its destination in Athens. During the approach phase, the aircraft struck Mount Paneio at an altitude of roughly 2,000 feet. At the time of the impact, the landing gear remained retracted. The flight was operating in severe weather conditions involving heavy rain and strong winds. The accident resulted in the deaths of all 90 people on board, comprising 85 passengers and 5 crew members.
At the time of the event, this tragedy stood as the deadliest aviation accident in Greece, a record that remained unbroken for over three decades. It also remains the most significant loss of life in a single accident involving the Douglas DC-6B and the deadliest incident in the history of Olympic Airways.
Investigation
Investigations into the disaster determined that the aircraft had departed from its intended flight path. The crew was attempting an ILS approach when the plane moved away from the prescribed track.
Findings
Investigators concluded that the primary reason for the accident was that the flight crew descended below the minimum safe altitude while deviating from the proper approach path.