Olympic Airways Flight 506

Olympic Airways Flight 506

An Olympic Airways YS-11, similar to the aircraft involved
Accident
Date	21 October 1972 (1972-10-21)
Summary	Crashed into the sea on approach
Site	off Voula, Attica, Greece 37°50′53.8″N23°44′54.4″E / 37.848278°N 23.748444°E / 37.848278; 23.748444
Aircraft
Aircraft type	NAMC YS-11A
Operator	Olympic Airways
Registration	SX-BBQ
Flight origin	Corfu International Airport, Corfu, Greece
Destination	Ellinikon International Airport, Athens, Greece
Occupants	53
Passengers	49
Crew	4
Fatalities	37
Survivors	16

On 21 October 1972, Olympic Airways Flight 506, a NAMC YS-11A operating a domestic flight in Greece from Corfu International Airport, Corfu, to Ellinikon International Airport, Athens, crashed in the sea, about 250 m from the coast near the city of Voula, on approach to its destination. 37 of the 53 people on board were killed. ^[1]

Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident was a NAMC YS-11A registered as SX-BBQ, and manufactured in 1971. The captain was Patroklos Thomadakis.

Accident

The aircraft, carrying 49 passengers and 4 crew members, took off from Corfu International Airport at 7:55 pm local time for its flight to Athens Airport. Landing in Athens was scheduled for 9:06 pm. Flight 506 encountered moderate turbulence and storms on its route to Athens. The storms made the tracking of the aircraft on radar difficult, so air traffic control asked flight 506 to descend to flight level FL150. When the plane was near Athens it lined up for landing on runway 33 of Ellinikon International Airport, but when it was over the sea about 5,5 km south of the airport it disappeared from radar. The air traffic controller then tried multiple times to contact flight 506, but received no answer. Other nearby flights were also contacted and asked to if they had the NAMC YS-11A in sight.

The impact with water created large fractures and holes in the fuselage of the aircraft. This let large quantities of water enter and flood the aircraft, which soon sank; many of the victimes died by drowning. ^[2] One of the surviving passengers, N. Stefanou, managed to get out the sinking plane and swim to shore. He then reached the PIKPA hospital in Voula, asked for help and alerted rescue teams. ^{[3] [4]}

Investigation

The final report on the accident was released on 9 January 1973. It established that pilot error was the main cause of the crash. It stated that the crew: didn't notice that some instruments, like the pressure altimeter, were giving incorrect and conflicting data; didn't follow the correct approach path to Ellinikon International Airport; didn't make a correct and gradual descent, but instead executed a descent that was too steep and too quick; didn't make correcting manoeuvers in time when the aircraft was low and about to impact the water; and didn't alert the passengers in time. Captain Patroklos Thomadakis, who survived the incident, was accused of involuntary manslaughter and involuntary personal injuries. He was acquitted when the trial ended in the summer of 1974. ^[2]

References

1. "Accident NAMC YS-11A-500 SX-BBQ". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
2. Γιάννης Θ. Διαμαντής (October 10, 2024). "Κέρκυρα – Αθήνα: Η πολύνεκρη αεροπορική τραγωδία του 1972". To Vima. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
3. "Το τραγικό αεροπορικό δυστύχημα της Ολυμπιακής από Κέρκυρα για Αθήνα το 1972". corfuland.gr. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
4. "GREECE: THIRTY-FOUR PEOPLE DIE WHEN GREEK AIRLINER PLUNGES INTO THE SEA OFF ATHENS. (1972)". British Paté. Retrieved April 11, 2025.

External links

• Video of the rescue efforts and aftermath of the crash