Investigation Summary
The flight departed Tulln Air Base near Vienna on November 18, 1946, planning a circuitous 950km route via Munich, Strasbourg, Dijon, and Marseille-Istres to avoid severe weather. The journey was intended to be a multi-day trip, with the arrival in Pisa scheduled for two days later. While navigating the Alps near Innsbruck, the crew encountered poor visibility and became disoriented. Later that afternoon, the aircraft was caught in a powerful katabatic wind, a downslope wind common in glacial regions, which caused a sudden loss of altitude. The C-53 struck the Gauli Glacier at approximately 174 mph (280 km/h). The deep snowpack absorbed the energy of the impact, preventing the airframe from disintegrating and limiting injuries. For several days, the survivors endured sub-zero temperatures inside the fuselage while search teams struggled to locate them due to incorrect initial position reports. The wreck was eventually spotted by a British RAF Lancaster, leading to a massive international rescue effort. While the U.S. military attempted to reach the site with ground vehicles, the terrain proved impassable. The rescue was ultimately completed by Swiss Air Force pilots using Fieseler Storch aircraft fitted with experimental skis, marking a milestone in aviation history.
Final Conclusions
The accident was classified as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) caused by a combination of pilot disorientation in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and severe local weather phenomena (katabatic winds). The survival of all occupants was attributed to the aircraft's impact angle and the presence of deep, soft snow on the glacier. The event served as a proof-of-concept for ski-equipped fixed-wing aircraft in alpine rescue operations, leading directly to the formalization of mountain rescue protocols in Switzerland.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Fieseler Fi 156 Storch Skis
Swiss-designed skis that interoperated with the existing mainwheels, allowing the aircraft to land and take off from deep snow surfaces.
Radio Direction Finding
Used by both the survivors to transmit distress signals and the RAF Lancaster crew to triangulate and plot the crash location.
Interesting Facts
- 01The crash site was at an altitude of 3,350 meters (10,990 feet).
- 02The impact speed was approximately 280 km/h (174 mph).
- 03The rescue marked the first time ski-equipped aircraft were used to evacuate crash survivors from a glacier.
- 04The wreckage remained hidden for decades until glacial melting caused parts of the aircraft to emerge in 2012 and 2018.
- 05The 12 survivors included eight passengers (including two U.S. generals and a child) and four crew members.
- 06The aircraft's Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) was 11773.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Founding of Rega
The difficulties and successes of the Gauli rescue led to the 1952 establishment of the Swiss Air Rescue Guard (Rega) to professionalize alpine air rescue.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Initial Sighting Credit
Reference ↗The U.S. military initially claimed they had located the aircraft first, but later issued a press statement crediting the Royal Air Force Lancaster crew for the successful sighting.