Investigation Summary
The Havørn accident occurred just nine days after Norwegian Air Lines inaugurated its Bergen to Tromsø service. The flight departed Sandviken at 06:30 CET carrying three passengers and 650 kilograms of mail. Although the initial weather report indicated clouds at 200 meters, the crew's last radio transmission at 06:54 reported clouds between 1,000 and 1,500 meters. Shortly after this contact, the aircraft struck the vertical rock face of Lihesten. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the airframe, leaving debris scattered across a narrow ledge 100 meters above the mountain's base. The recovery of the victims was led by technical director Bernt Balchen and involved elite mountaineers from Norsk Tindeklub. The technical investigation concluded that the primary cause was a significant navigational deviation in poor visibility, leading to a controlled flight into terrain.
Final Conclusions
The investigation commission, which included technical director Bernt Balchen and aviation authority representative Captain Eckhoff, determined the cause to be Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). The aircraft had deviated 15 to 20 kilometers from its prescribed flight path while operating in marginal weather conditions. The commission found no evidence of mechanical failure prior to impact.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Floats
The Ju-52 was configured as a seaplane for the coastal route between Bergen and Tromsø.
Radio Equipment
The aircraft was equipped with a radio operated by Per Erling Hegle, used for position reporting and receiving weather updates.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident was the first fatal crash of a scheduled airliner in Norway.
- 02The aircraft was a Junkers Ju-52/3m floatplane previously owned by Deutsche Lufthansa.
- 03The recovery operation marked the first time climbing bolts (pitons) were used in Norwegian mountaineering.
- 04The aircraft was carrying approximately 650 kilograms of mail, including 13 bags weighing roughly 50 kilograms each.
- 05The crash site on Mount Lihesten was so inaccessible that some body parts were never recovered despite multiple expeditions.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Route Replacement
Source ↗DNL purchased a replacement Junkers Ju-52 named 'Falken' (LN-DAF) from Lufthansa to continue the Bergen to Tromsø service following the loss of Havørn.
Navigational Infrastructure Improvements
Source ↗Following the accident, Norwegian authorities and DNL accelerated the installation of radio beacons and improved weather reporting stations along the coastal route to mitigate the risks of navigating in poor visibility.
Operational Weather Minimums
Source ↗The investigation led to stricter adherence to weather minimums for the coastal route, emphasizing that flights should not proceed if visibility and cloud base did not allow for safe visual navigation around known terrain obstacles.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Storm Family Lawsuit
Reference ↗In 1937, the family of First Officer Erik Storm sued Norwegian Air Lines for further compensation and to clear his name. The suit was eventually dropped after the airline publicly stated Storm was not responsible for the accident.