What happened
During a nighttime departure from Gibraltar, the aircraft climbed to an altitude between 2,500 and 3,000 feet. At this stage of the flight, the twin-engine plane collided with the slope of a mountain in Los Barrios, located northwest of Algeciras. The impact resulted in the destruction of the airframe. All three crew members were killed in the accident. The aircraft was operating a cargo route from Bordeaux to Casablanca, with Gibraltar serving as an intermediate stop. At the time of the crash, it was transporting approximately four tons of assorted goods.
Findings
Official investigations indicated that standard departure procedures for runway 27 at Gibraltar Airport require pilots to execute a left turn immediately after liftoff. This maneuver is designed to ensure the aircraft avoids the mountainous terrain near Algeciras. However, the crew continued on a straight climb-out path following takeoff. This deviation from the prescribed procedure caused the aircraft to strike the mountain.