What happened
Approximately nineteen minutes following its departure from Barcelona Airport, an aircraft flying at an altitude of 5,600 feet collided with the side of Mt Montseny. The impact occurred roughly 60 km northeast of Barcelona-El Prat Airport on a mountain peak reaching 1,712 meters. At the time of the collision, the aircraft had drifted approximately 16 km away from its intended departure path.
The flight was operating in conditions with zero visibility due to heavy cloud cover. The impact resulted in the destruction of the plane and 32 fatalities, which included a teacher and 28 students from the United Kingdom.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the crew had failed to adhere to established flight regulations and international standards applicable within Spanish airspace. While the aircraft deviated significantly from its assigned route, investigators found no evidence of errors by air traffic controllers or malfunctions in navigation equipment. The primary factor was the failure to follow prescribed flight instructions while operating in obscured conditions.