What happened
The incident occurred during the initial climb phase shortly after departure. Engine number 3 failed, prompting the captain to initiate an emergency procedure involving a ditching over the sea. However, the Vickers Viscount stalled before reaching open water. The aircraft struck palm trees and impacted the ground approximately five kilometers from the airport.
The crash resulted in significant loss of life. All four crew members and seven passengers were killed. Three additional passengers sustained injuries, while six others remained unhurt. The airframe was destroyed upon impact.
Findings
Official investigations determined that the exact technical cause of the failure on engine number 3 could not be established. However, authorities concluded that the crew inadvertently shut down engine number 4 instead of engine number 3. This error caused the heavy aircraft to lose altitude rapidly, leading to the stall and subsequent crash.