Swissair Flight 316
{{Short description|1979 aviation accident}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}{{distinguish|Swissair Flight 306}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| name = Swissair Flight 316
| image = File:Swissair Flight 316 HB-IED after accident.jpg
| image_upright = 1.16
| caption = Flight 316 on fire after landing
| occurrence_type = Accident
| date = {{start date|1979|10|07|df=y}}
| summary = Runway overrun
| site = Ellinikon International Airport, Athens, Greece
| coordinates = {{coord|37|52|26|N|23|44|27|E|type:event|display=inline,title}}
| occupants = 154
| passengers = 142
| crew = 12
| fatalities = 14
| survivors = 140
| plane1_image = Swissair DC-8-62 HB-IDE ZRH Jun 1977.png
| plane1_image_upright = 1.16
| plane1_caption = The aircraft involved in 1977
| aircraft_type = McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62
| aircraft_name = Uri
| operator = Swissair
| tail_number = [http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=HB-IDE&distinct_entry=true HB-IDE]
| origin = Zurich Airport, Zurich, Switzerland
| stopover0 = Geneva Airport, Geneva, Switzerland
| stopover1 = Ellinikon International Airport, Athens, Greece
| stopover2 = Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Bombay, India
| destination = Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing, China
}}
On 7 October 1979, a Swissair DC-8 crashed while attempting to land at Athens-Ellinikon International Airport in Athens, Greece. Of the 154 passengers and crew on board, 14 were killed in the accident.
Accident
Swissair Flight 316 was an international scheduled passenger service from Zurich, Switzerland to Peking, China (now Beijing) via Geneva, Athens, and Bombay (now Mumbai). The aircraft, named Uri, was piloted by Captain Fritz Schmutz and First Officer Martin Deuringer.
Flight 316 touched down on runway 15L at a speed of {{convert|146|kn}}. The aircraft decelerated but overran the runway and came to rest on a public road. The left wing and tail separated, and fire broke out. Fourteen of the 142 passengers on board died.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HVsrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dNkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3268,417281&dq=swissair+athens&hl=en 14 die when plane overshoots runway]. Spencer, Iowa: The Daily Reporter (UPI). 8 October 1979, p. 5. Among the dead were British, German, and French citizens. Of the passengers on board, 100 were doctors on their way to a medical convention in China.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_t0pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JNIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1090,3624823&dq=100+china+athens+crash&hl=en Plane crash tolls mount]. Daytona Beach, Florida: Daytona Beach Morning Journal (AP). 9 October 1979, p. 8B.
One of Flight 316's survivors was Hans Morgenthau, a professor emeritus from the University of Chicago and expert in International Relations.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ifBeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OVQNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2421,4487845&dq=small+amount+of+plutonium+missing+from+crashed+jet&hl=en Plutonium missing]. St. Joseph, Missouri: St. Joseph Gazette (UPI). 9 October 1979, p. 2A.
Aftermath
File:Swissair Flight 316 HB-IDE after accident2.jpg
After the crash it was learned that the aircraft was transporting over {{convert|1000|lb}} of radioactive isotopes and a small amount of plutonium. The plutonium was in the luggage of one of the doctors on board, and was briefly missing in the aftermath of the crash, although it was quickly found.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lRlSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jjUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5827,1861867&dq=plutonium+suitcase+athens&hl=en Recover plutonium from wrecked plane]. Warsaw, Indiana: Times-Union (UPI). 9 October 1979, p. 1. Authorities had firemen and other rescue workers checked for radiation exposure.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9oM-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=-VkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1014,4217702&dq=swissair+athens+crash&hl=en Swissair carried isotopes]. Bangor, Maine: Bangor Daily News (UPI). 9 October 1979, p. 8.
The crash destroyed over $2 million worth of industrial diamonds bound for Bombay. Most of the uncut diamonds were found by police, but they were destroyed by the crash's intense heat.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yQBWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E-IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1369,7109273&dq=athens+diamonds+crash&hl=en Plane crash ruins cargo of diamonds]. Eugene, Oregon: Eugene Register-Guardian (UPI). 10 October 1979, p. 4A.
Two days after the crash of Flight 316, Greek authorities charged pilot Fritz Schmutz with manslaughter plus other charges.Hope, Keirin. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y2ZSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cXwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4355,548271&dq=swissair+athens+crash+pilots&hl=en Swissair pilot charged in Athens crash]. St. Petersburg, Florida: St. Petersburg Times (UPI). 10 October 1979, p. 14A. At a trial in 1983, Schmutz, along with co-pilot Deuringer, were found guilty of multiple charges including manslaughter with negligence, causing multiple bodily injury, and obstructing air traffic, and were sentenced to five and two and a half years in prison respectively.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6aMyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-u4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4230,3211990&dq=swissair+athens+crash+14+dead&hl=en Greek court sentences pilots for fatal crash]. Ottawa, Ontario: Ottawa Citizen (Reuters). 27 April 1983, p. 6. Schmutz and Deuringer were set free on bail while they appealed their sentences.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GxUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PaUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2639,3560738&dq=swissair+pilots+manslaughter&hl=en Swiss pilots freed]. Montreal, Quebec: The Montreal Gazette (AP). 28 April 1983, p. A10. A year after their sentencing, the court ruled Schmutz and Deuringer could substitute fines in place of jail time. Neither pilot had flown since the accident, but they were employed by Swissair.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cZkrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G_gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4284,5015372&dq=athens+pilots+appeal&hl=en Pilots' sentences reduced]. Nashua, New Hampshire: Nashua Telegraph (AP). 26 September 1984, p. 3.
Cause
The accident investigation determined the causes of the accident were that the crew touched down too far down the runway, at too high a speed, following a non-stabilised approach, and that they failed to properly utilise the aircraft's brake and reverse thrust systems, which resulted in their being unable to stop the aircraft within the available runway and overrun distance.{{Cite web |title=AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REPORT of the Greek Commission of Inquiry (appointed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Greece) into the accident involving the McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62, HB-IDE aircraft of Swissair, Switzerland. Luftverkehr AG on October 7, 1979 at Athens Airport, Greece |url=https://www.sust.admin.ch/inhalte/AV-berichte/992d.pdf |website=Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board |language=de}}
One member of the Operations team of the Accident Investigation Committee had a different opinion from the rest of the Committee regarding the cause of the accident, stating that he believed the crew failed to realise the touchdown speed and distance, failed to follow the company's poor-braking-action landing technique, and failed to properly utilise the aircraft's brake and reverse thrust systems.{{Cite web |title=ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62 HB-IDE Athens-Ellinikon International Airport (ATH) |url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19791007-0 |access-date= |website=Aviation Safety Network |publisher=Flight Safety Foundation}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
{{Portal|Switzerland|Greece|Aviation}}
- {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20121208154125/http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/view_details.cgi?date=10081979®=HB-IDE&airline=Swissair Swissair Flight 316 crash at AirDisaster.com]}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1979}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in Greece}}
Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1979
Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by pilot error
Category:Airliner accidents and incidents involving runway overruns
Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Greece