Investigation Summary
The flight was the first leg of a transatlantic journey from Paris to New York. During the approach to the Azores, the crew was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). Despite reporting that they had the Santa Maria Airport in sight at 02:51, the aircraft was actually over Sao Miguel Island, nearly 100 kilometers north of their intended destination. The Constellation struck the ridge between Pico da Vara and Pico Redondo at an elevation of approximately 900 meters. While most official reports cite the aircraft as being 60 miles (97 km) off course, contemporary news reports such as the New York Times suggested the deviation was as much as 90 miles. The investigation highlighted that the crew provided false position reports and failed to execute the standard approach procedures for Santa Maria. The wreckage was found scattered over 30,000 square meters, and the subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft and its contents, including Ginette Neveu's Stradivarius violin.
Final Conclusions
The French Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA) concluded the primary cause was controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). Contributing factors included inadequate navigation, the transmission of inaccurate position reports by the crew, and the failure to correctly identify Santa Maria Airport while flying in VFR conditions. The crew likely mistook lights on São Miguel for the airport on Santa Maria.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Navigation
The crew relied on visual identification and dead reckoning, leading to a 60-mile deviation from the intended track.
VFR Operations
The flight was conducted under Visual Flight Rules, which required the pilot to maintain visual contact with the terrain and airport.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident was the deadliest aviation disaster in Portugal at the time of its occurrence.
- 02The aircraft was a Lockheed L-749 Constellation built in 1947.
- 03Among the 48 fatalities was Marcel Cerdan, the former middleweight boxing world champion.
- 04The crash site was 60 miles (97 km) away from the intended destination airport.
- 05The wreckage was spread over an area of 30,000 square metres.
- 06At the time of the crash, it was the deadliest accident involving a Lockheed Constellation.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Approach Procedure Adherence
The investigation emphasized the necessity of strictly following established approach procedures for Santa Maria airport to avoid navigational drift.