1963 Air Nautic Vickers Viking crash

Aviation accident July 2025 1963 Air Nautic Vickers Viking 12 September 1963 Viking 1B VK500 Arab Legion Air Force BLA 04.55.jpg A Vickers Viking, similar to the aircraft involved Controlled flight into terrain Accident Py, France London-Gatwick Airport, London, United Kingdom Perpignan–Rivesaltes Airport, Perpignan, France 42 28 44 N 2 24 36 E region:US-MT_type:landmark inline,title 40 40 Vickers VC.1 Viking Air Nautic F-BJER 36 4 0 On 12 September 1963, a Vickers Viking of Air Nautic (also referred as AirNautic) operating as a charter passenger flight from London-Gatwick to Perpignan crashed into the north face of the Canigó mountain near the small town of Py in France. In the accident, all 40 occupants were killed. It was the second fatal air crash in less than a year for Air Nautic. On 29 December 1962, 25 people had been killed in the crash of an Air Nautic Boeing 307. Accident description https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/333025 aviation-safety.netUn avion français s'érase sur les Pyrénées 13 September 1963 https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1963/09/13/un-avion-francais-s-ecrase-sur-les-pyrenees-pres-de-vernet-il-transportait-trente-six-touristes-britanniques-et-un-equipage-de-quatre-membres_3092729_1819218.html www.lemonde.fr 9 July 202514 July 2025 January 1963 Les sauveteurs ont atteint les pentes du mont Renoso sur lesquelles s'est écrasé l'avion Bastia-Nice. Il n'y a aucun survivant https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1963/01/01/les-sauveteurs-ont-atteint-les-pentes-du-mont-renoso-sur-lesquelles-s-est-ecrase-l-avion-bastia-nice-il-n-y-a-aucun-survivant_3093755_1819218.html www.lemonde.fr. Investigation The accident was investigated by the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA). In June 1964, the BEA published their findings. The crew made navigation errors after selecting a direct route without reporting their position. Weather conditions were poor and there was limited equipment in Perpignan. The crew also failed to use the Toulouse and Istres VORs for accurate positioning. Air Nautic was aware that the captain and the copilot did not meet the required qualifications for operating a public transport aircraft. Additionally, Air Nautic did not provide the crew with operational instructions that might have prevented the accident. Finally, the crew was in a state of fatigue, which may have affected their performance.21 September 1966 Rapport final de la commission chargée de l'enquête sur l'accident survenu le 12 septembre 1963 à Py (Pyrénées-Orientales) l'avion Viking F-BJER de la Compagnie Air Nautic Final report of the commission of inquiry into the accident which occurred on September 12, 1963 in Py. https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/1963/f-er630912/pdf/f-er630912_06.pdf 14 July 2025 Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety French See also France Aviation 1962 Air Nautic Boeing 307 crash References Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in France Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1963 Category:1963 in France Category:September 1963 in Europe Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Vickers VC.1 Viking