On December 31, 1948, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration ZS-BYX) operated by Pan African Air Charter was involved in an aviation accident near Monte Argentario, Italy in flight. 13 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident resulted from a controlled flight into terrain, with poor visibility caused by low clouds acting as a key contributory factor. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A charter aircraft operating for Scott Gordon Aviator crashed into a mountain slope near Monte Argello after diverting due to poor weather, resulting in the deaths of all 13 people on board.
What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was en route from Athens to Nice. While crossing the Ligurian Sea, the crew encountered deteriorating weather conditions. In response, the captain elected to divert the flight to Rome-Ciampino. During this diversion, the plane overflew the Orbetello lagoon before penetrating low cloud layers. The aircraft subsequently impacted the slope of a mountain in the vicinity of Monte Argentario. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe and the fatalities of all 13 occupants. The service was being operated as a charter flight on behalf of the British operator Scott Gordon Aviator.
Findings
Investigations determined that the event constituted a controlled flight into terrain. The primary contributory factor identified was poor visibility resulting from low cloud cover, which obscured the terrain and prevented the crew from avoiding the obstacle.
Probable cause
The accident resulted from a controlled flight into terrain, with poor visibility caused by low clouds acting as a key contributory factor.
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