5 fatalities

Cargo Flight Strikes Mount Parnon, Killing Five Crew Members (OD-AEL)

Mt Parnon, GreeceFlight

On March 10, 1966, a Douglas DC-6 (registration OD-AEL) operated by TMA of Lebanon - Trans Mediterranean Airways was involved in an aviation accident near Mt Parnon, Greece in flight. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Controlled flight into terrain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards

A four-engine cargo aircraft on a flight from Beirut to Frankfurt struck Mount Parnon in Greece amid marginal weather, killing all five crew members. The wreckage was found 27 km east of Sparta.

Accident

A cargo flight en route from Beirut, Lebanon to Frankfurt, Germany, crashed into Mount Parnon in the Peloponnese region of Greece. The four-engine aircraft was cruising in marginal weather conditions when it struck the slope of the mountain, located at the border between the Laconia and Arcadia districts. The aircraft subsequently disappeared from radar screens.

Search efforts located the wreckage approximately 27 kilometers east of the city of Sparta. All five crew members on board were confirmed dead.

Findings

The official investigation concluded that the accident was a controlled flight into terrain. No additional causal factors were identified in the released findings.

Probable cause

Controlled flight into terrain.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 10 Mar 1966 Douglas DC-6 accident near Mt Parnon, Greece?

A four-engine cargo aircraft on a flight from Beirut to Frankfurt struck Mount Parnon in Greece amid marginal weather, killing all five crew members. The wreckage was found 27 km east of Sparta.

Were there any fatalities in the 10 Mar 1966 Douglas DC-6 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 5 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 10 Mar 1966 involved a Douglas DC-6, registration OD-AEL, operated by TMA of Lebanon - Trans Mediterranean Airways, at Mt Parnon, Greece.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

Controlled flight into terrain.