Cairo Approach Accident: Scheduled Saigon–Paris Flight (F-BGOD)

Flight Details and Approach Sequence The aircraft was operating a scheduled flight from Saigon to Paris, France. It departed Karachi for Cairo on 19 February at 1715 GMT with 9 crew and 55 passengers aboard. The flight was routine until 0230 hours on 20 February, when the aircraft reported to Cairo Air Traffic Control that it had passed Suez, 60 miles east of Cairo, at 0224 at a flight level of 8,500 feet, flying VFR and descending. At 0240, the aircraft reported the Cairo aerodrome in sight and 15 miles out. It was granted authorization for a VFR approach and was given the QFE and QNH, 29.42 and 29.73 respectively. Contact was then established with Cairo approach, and the aircraft requested and received landing instructions on 118.5 megacycles. It was asked to call downwind. This message was acknowledged and was the last communication heard from the flight. ## Loss of Contact and Wreckage Location Several attempts to contact the aircraft on all available frequencies were unsuccessful. At 0450 hours, the wreckage was sighted 18 miles southeast of the aerodrome. Only 6 crew members and 6 passengers survived.