What happened
The incident involved a military transport aircraft operating a flight from Palermo to London. The plane was carrying released British soldiers who were returning home. While flying at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet south of Marseille, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain and was destroyed upon impact.
At the time of the accident, visibility was poor due to snowfall. The crew was following an incorrect flight path. Rescuers arrived at the scene and evacuated one passenger who had sustained serious injuries. However, 25 other occupants were killed in the crash. The sole survivor later died from his injuries a few hours after the incident.
The aircraft was operated by the 271st Squadron. The crew consisted of a pilot, a copilot, a navigator, and a wireless operator. The remaining passengers were military personnel of various ranks, including corporals, privates, lances corporals, drivers, sappers, lieutenants, and captains.
Findings
Investigations indicated that the aircraft was off course at the time of the accident. This deviation resulted from erroneous information received by the crew from ground control services. Additionally, low visibility caused by snowfall prevented the crew from distinguishing the mountainous terrain, leading to a controlled flight into terrain.