What happened
A twin-engine airplane departed from the USS Eisenhower, which was positioned in the Mediterranean Sea, en route to Chania Airport in Crete. The flight was carrying a total of 11 crew members.
As the aircraft approached its destination, the crew encountered adverse meteorological conditions characterized by storm activity, low cloud ceilings, and visibility restricted to between 2 and 3 miles. During this approach phase, the twin engine airplane collided with a mountain slope situated approximately 4 km north of the airfield at an elevation of 426 meters.
Search efforts were hampered by the ongoing inclement weather, and the wreckage was not located until three days after the impact. The accident resulted in 11 fatalities, with no survivors reported among the crew.
Findings
The investigation indicates that the crash occurred while the aircraft was operating in poor visibility and stormy weather conditions.