British Eagle International Airlines Flight 802/6

On Saturday, 29 February 1964, British Eagle International Airlines Flight 802/6 crashed into the Glungezer mountain near Innsbruck, Austria. The aircraft, a Bristol Britannia registered G-AOVO, had taken off from London Heathrow Airport, England, destined for Innsbruck Kranebitten Airport in Austria. All 75 passengers and 8 crew died in the crash.

The crash

Flight 802/6 was an international scheduled passenger flight which took off from London Heathrow Airport at 12:04 p.m. bound for Innsbruck. The aircraft was a Bristol Britannia 312 which had previously been owned by B.O.A.C.. At approximately 1:35 p.m., the flight crew contacted Munich Air Traffic control. Nine minutes later the pilot of Flight 802/6 changed flight plans from Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) to Visual Flight Rules (VFR). Innsbruck had no instrument approach procedures and Flight described it as "generally regarded as one of the most difficult airports in Europe". As it passed over Innsbruck VHF omnidirectional range station, the aircraft was still unable to break through the clouds. Snow flurries were falling.

At 2:12 p.m., the crew of Flight 802/6 reported that they were at 10000 ft. This was the last communication received from the aircraft. Several minutes later, Flight 802 flew into the eastern slope of the Glungezer mountain at a height of approximately 8500 ft. Everyone on board the aircraft – 81 Britons (most of whom were on a ski holiday), one Austrian, and one Canadian – was killed in the crash.