Investigation Summary
The flight was a scheduled revenue service known as the 'Eventyrruten' (The Adventure Route), connecting northern Norway to the capital. On the leg between Harstad and Bodø, the crew encountered deteriorating weather conditions including heavy fog. While the aircraft was supposed to be following a coastal path, it drifted off course. At 09:05 local time, the flying boat impacted the rocky slopes of Kvammetinden, roughly 1.5 kilometers north of the village of Lødingen. The impact occurred at 290 meters (950 feet) above sea level, which was below the summit of the mountain. The wreckage was located in a rugged area, and the force of the impact left no survivors among the 28 passengers and 7 crew members.
Final Conclusions
The official inquiry attributed the disaster to a navigation error compounded by poor weather conditions. The aircraft was operating in heavy fog which obscured the terrain, and the crew failed to maintain a safe distance from the mountainous coastline. The investigation noted that the aircraft was slightly off its intended track when it struck the mountain.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Navigation Equipment
The crew relied on visual and radio navigation, which proved insufficient to maintain terrain clearance in heavy fog.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident was the deadliest in Norwegian aviation history at the time of its occurrence.
- 02The aircraft was a Short S.25 Sandringham 6, a civilian conversion of the Short Sunderland flying boat.
- 03The crash site was located at an altitude of 290 meters on the mountain Kvammetinden.
- 04The flight was operating a multi-stop route: Tromsø – Harstad – Bodø – Hommelvik – Oslo.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Navigation Procedures
The accident highlighted the dangers of low-level coastal navigation in the mountainous regions of Northern Norway during poor visibility, leading to stricter adherence to instrument-based navigation when weather minimums were not met.