Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 871
| Industry | Airline |
|---|---|
Area served | Europe, Middle East |
| Products | Air transport services |
Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 871 was a scheduled journey operated by Scandinavian Airlines System, traveling from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Cairo, Egypt, with several intermediate stops. On 19 January 1960, the Sud Aviation Caravelle assigned to this flight tragically crashed during the segment between Yeşilköy Airport and Esenboğa International Airport in Turkey. The aircraft collided with terrain approximately six nautical miles from the destination airport, resulting in the loss of all 42 individuals on board. This event represented the first fatal accident involving a Caravelle aircraft.
Accident
Flight 871 took off from Copenhagen Airport at 09:44 UTC and made scheduled stops at Düsseldorf and Vienna. Upon arrival in Istanbul at 17:20 UTC, a fresh crew assumed control for the final leg to Ankara's Esenboğa International Airport. The flight carried 35 passengers alongside 7 crew members. Initial phases of the approach proceeded without incident until descent commenced: at 18:41 UTC, the pilots reported descending from FL135 to FL120; by 18:45 UTC, they were approaching at an altitude of 6,500 feet and continuing their descent. At 18:47 UTC, the aircraft impacted terrain at roughly 3,500 feet elevation situated between the Ankara radio range and the airport itself. Unfortunately, there were no survivors.
Cause
The accident was caused by an inadvertent descent below the prescribed minimum altitude during the final approach to Esenboğa Airport. Due to a lack of conclusive evidence, the precise reason for this premature descent remains unknown.