1966 Fokker F-27 crash in the Pir Panjal range (PH-SAB)

Accident overview On 7 February 1966, shortly before noon, a Fokker F-27, Series 200, aircraft registered PH-SAB met with an accident. The aircraft was owned by Schreiner Airways of Holland and operated by the Indian Airlines Corporation under a charter contract. It was on a scheduled flight from Srinagar to Delhi, with intermediate stops at Jammu and Amritsar. ## Crash site and casualties The aircraft crashed on a hilltop in the Pir Panjal range at a location 12 miles west of its proper course. The intended route lay over the Banihal Pass, given as 33°30′ N, 75°14′ E, at an altitude of 9,290 ft. All crew members and all 33 passengers on board were killed, and the aircraft was totally destroyed. ## Official findings The official probable cause was a navigational error. The investigation initially considered the possibility that the error was deliberate, but the court concluded that it was not intentional. The court found that, while flying through clouds at an altitude insufficient to ensure safety, the pilot believed he was approaching the Banihal Pass. The court noted that the pilot had replied to a call at 0610 hours GMT saying he would be crossing Banihal in two or three minutes. In fact, the aircraft was 12 miles off its track and crashed at a point 12,364 ft above sea level. The court stated that a more careful and cautious pilot would have verified direction and position using the Srinagar Airport VOR and Automatic Direction Finding facility.