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Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle I OY-KRB

Fatal Accident (42) – Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle I, OY-KRB, Flight 871, approx. 5.4 nautical miles of Ankara-Esenboga Airport (ESB), Türkiye, January 19, 1960

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OFFICIAL PRELIMINARY REPORT: Report Not Available
OFFICIAL FINAL REPORT: Report Not Available

SOURCE Report:
On January 19, 1960, Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 871, a multi-leg international flight operated by a Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle I aircraft registered as OY-KRB, crashed near Esenboğa International Airport in Ankara, Turkey. This was the first fatal accident involving the Caravelle aircraft, marking a significant event in aviation history. The aircraft was operating a scheduled flight from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Cairo, Egypt, with several intermediate stops, including Düsseldorf, Vienna, Istanbul, and Ankara.​

Flight 871 departed Copenhagen Airport at 09:44 UTC and made its first stops in Düsseldorf and Vienna without incident. After arriving in Istanbul at 17:20 UTC, a new crew took over the final segments of the journey. The aircraft departed Istanbul’s Yeşilköy Airport at 18:00 UTC for Ankara with 35 passengers and seven crew members aboard. The flight proceeded uneventfully until the approach phase to Ankara’s Esenboğa International Airport​.

At 18:41 UTC, the crew reported descending from flight level 135 (13,500 feet) to flight level 120 (12,000 feet) as per the clearance provided by Ankara air traffic control. The aircraft continued its descent and reported an altitude of 6,500 feet at 18:45 UTC while inbound to the Ankara range station. However, at 18:47 UTC, the aircraft struck terrain approximately 6 nautical miles southwest of Esenboğa Airport at an elevation of 3,500 feet. All 42 occupants on board were killed in the accident​.

The investigation into the accident was challenging due to the limited technology and resources available at the time. The navigation and warning systems of the era were not as advanced as modern equivalents, contributing to difficulties in determining the precise sequence of events leading to the crash. Investigators concluded that the accident resulted from an unintentional descent below the authorized minimum flight altitude during the final approach to Esenboğa Airport. However, the specific reasons for this descent could not be ascertained due to insufficient evidence​.

The aircraft, named “Orm Viking,” was relatively new, having been delivered to Scandinavian Airlines System in November 1959. It had logged only a few months of service before the crash. The accident was a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), highlighting the risks associated with descent and approach operations, particularly in areas with challenging terrain​.

The loss of Flight 871 marked the deadliest aviation accident on Turkish soil at the time and served as a wake-up call for improved approach procedures and minimum altitude adherence. Although the exact causes of the unintentional descent remain unknown, the tragedy emphasized the need for advancements in navigation technology and crew training​.

This incident has since been overtaken by other accidents in terms of fatalities, but it remains a significant event in aviation safety history. The lessons learned from the investigation contributed to improving safety protocols and technology, aiming to prevent similar occurrences in the future​.

Flight 871’s legacy underscores the importance of continuous development in aviation safety measures and serves as a reminder of the risks inherent in commercial aviation during its earlier years. It stands as a case study in controlled flight into terrain and the critical role of effective altitude awareness and communication between aircrews and air traffic control.

Aircraft Operator:
United Airlines

Video(s):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3NBfH12YtY

Accident Location:
approx. 5.4 nautical miles of Ankara-Esenboga Airport (ESB), Türkiye
40°03’00″N 32°53’24″E (https://g.co/kgs/zaeYpPh)

ASN:
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/333864

FAA/International Registration:
OY-KRB (https://www.oy-reg.dk/register/3277.html)

Year of Manufacture:
1959


SN/Military Registration/BUNO:
14


LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/simple-flying_the-aircraft-involved-had-only-been-at-the-activity-7021811569978204160-ufE1?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web

Facebook:
n/a

X/Twitter (reports+videos):
n/a

ADS-B Exchange:
n/a

FlightAware:
n/a

flightradar24:
n/a


AirNav.radar:
n/a

National Report(s):
Archived

Local Report(s):
Archived

Image Reference(s):
https://simpleflying.com/sas-flight-871-sud-aviation-caravelle-accident/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_Airlines_System_Flight_871

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