1963 Air Nautic Vickers Viking crash
| Industry | Aviation |
|---|---|
| Products | Air transport services |
Template:Infobox Airliner accident
On 12 September 1963, an Air Nautic-operated Vickers VC.1 Viking was conducting a charter service from London-Gatwick Airport to Perpignan–Rivesaltes Airport. The aircraft tragically collided with the northern slope of Canigó mountain close to the village of Py, Pyrénées-Orientales in France. This crash resulted in the loss of all 40 people on board.
This incident marked Air Nautic’s second deadly aviation accident within a year. Previously, on 29 December 1962, an Air Nautic-operated Boeing 307 had crashed, killing 25 individuals.[1][2][3]
Investigation
The incident underwent examination by the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA).
In June 1964, the BEA released their official report. It concluded that the flight crew committed navigational mistakes by opting for a direct routing without properly communicating their position. Challenging weather conditions combined with inadequate navigational aids at Perpignan contributed to the mishap. Moreover, the pilots neglected to utilize the Toulouse and Istres VOR stations for precise location tracking. The investigation also revealed that Air Nautic was aware that neither the captain nor the first officer held the necessary qualifications for operating a commercial transport aircraft. Additionally, the airline failed to supply appropriate operational guidelines that could have averted this tragedy. Fatigue among the crew members was also identified as a factor likely impairing their performance.[4]
See also
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References
- ↑ "Accident description". aviation-safety.net.
- ↑ "Un avion français s'érase sur les Pyrénées". www.lemonde.fr. 13 September 1963. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ↑ "Les sauveteurs ont atteint les pentes du mont Renoso sur lesquelles s'est écrasé l'avion Bastia-Nice. Il n'y a aucun survivant". www.lemonde.fr. January 1963. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ↑ "Rapport final de la commission chargée de l'enquête sur l'accident survenu le 12 septembre 1963 à Py (Pyrénées-Orientales) l'avion Viking F-BJER de la Compagnie Air Nautic" [Final report of the commission of inquiry into the accident which occurred on September 12, 1963 in Py.] (PDF) (in French). Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety. 21 September 1966. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
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Template:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1963 Template:Aviation accidents and incidents in France between 1950 and 1999