What happened
On an afternoon flight from Paris to Sofia, an aircraft carrying 39 passengers and eight crew members requested a diversion to Zurich-Kloten Airport while cruising near the Luxeuil VOR. Following approval from air traffic control, the flight proceeded over southern West Germany before beginning its descent toward Zurich.
The approach to runway 16 was conducted under conditions of heavy fog, which limited horizontal visibility to 600 meters and vertical visibility to just 60 meters. During the final stages of the approach, the left wing tip and the left main landing gear made contact with the ground. The aircraft briefly regained altitude before striking the terrain approximately 700 meters before the runway threshold, slightly offset from the approach path. The impact caused the loss of all four engines and triggered a massive post-crash fire.
The accident resulted in 45 fatalities and only two survivors, consisting of the captain and a 12-year-old passenger. The wreckage was completely destroyed by the force of the impact and subsequent flames.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that while the motivation for the diversion to Zurich remained unclear, the crew failed to follow several established procedures during the ILS approach. This failure to adhere to published procedures caused the aircraft to descend below the minimum descent altitude and deviate from the prescribed approach path. The dense fog was a significant contributing factor, as it prevented the crew from maintaining visual contact with the runway or the ground. At the time of the incident, the aircraft was documented as airworthy, with no reported technical malfunctions or recent mechanical anomalies.