What happened
A charter flight operating from Amsterdam-Schiphol to Tønsberg-Jarlsberg was transporting 26 Norwegian passengers returning from an Antarctic cruise. During the flight, which was occurring under difficult weather conditions, the aircraft struck treetops and crashed in a heavily wooded area near Drangedal, situated approximately 35 km southwest of Skien.
The impact triggered a significant post-crash fire that completely destroyed the aircraft. The accident resulted in 11 fatalities, comprising all three crew members and eight passengers. Additionally, 18 other occupants sustained injuries during the event.
Findings
Investigations into the accident indicated that the flight crew failed to maintain the proper approach path toward Tønsberg-Jarlsberg Airport, which was located 78 km northeast of the crash site. The primary factor in the accident was navigational errors by the crew, which led to the aircraft flying at an insufficient altitude for the terrain.