Sterling Airways

Aérospatiale SN.601 Corvette

The twin engine airplane was completing an on-demand taxi flight from Copenhagen to Nice with intermediate stops in Stockholm and Coventry, carrying members from the Corporate of the Swedish Group Atlas Copco. On final approach to Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport, while completing a last turn, the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea about one km short of runway 05 threshold. Few debris were found floating on water while the main wreckage sank in a canyon by a depth of about 1,500 meters. All 10 occupants were killed.

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Preparing for takeoff on its flight back to Denmark, the crew completed a backtrack on runway 29L when he was instructed by ATC to expedite the procedure and to vacate due to traffic on approach. When the airplane reached the end of the runway, the crew initiated a turn to the left when the right main gear collapsed and punctured the right wing and the fuel tank. A fire ensued and the aircraft came to rest in flames. 15 passengers (7 Danish and 8 Swedish citizens) were killed while 81 other occupants escaped, some of them were seriously injured. The aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Suffered a ground accident at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport. While taxiing, the airplane collided with an obstacle and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The exact circumstances of the mishap remains unclear.

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Following an uneventful flight from Bombay at 33,000 feet, the crew contacted Dubai control to obtain the latest weather bulletin: wind from 040° at 8 knots, visibility 10 km and 5/8 clouds at 2,000 feet. Approaching via radial 084, the crew was informed he will be able to start the descent at 1955LT. However, at 1949LT (six minutes too early), the crew informed ATC he was ready for the descent as his position was 95 NM from Dubai. At that moment, the plane was in fact 162 NM from the destination but the crew was not aware of it. After being cleared to descend at 4,000 feet, pilots were informed that they may choose either Runway 30 or 12, to which they respond that they will attempt a direct approach on Runway 30. By night, the captain thought he was seeing the lights of the city of Dubai when they are actually those of Fujairah located 95 km east. Despite that the crew had difficulties to tune into NDB frequency, the crew continued the descent when, at an altitude of 1,600 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain. The wreckage was about 92 kilometers east of Dubai Airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 112 occupants were killed, among them 74 Danish whom six crew members, 20 Swedish, 12 Norwegians, four Finns and two West Germans.

Cessna 402

The crew was completing a local training flight at Billund Airport, Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed near the runway end. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Douglas DC-6

The flight NB821, a non-scheduled air transport operation from Stockholm-Arlanda Airport to Gothenburg-Torslanda Airport, took off from Arlanda on 23 December 1967 at 0637 hours GMT. The aircraft was flown in accordance with an approved flight plan. The first approach was discontinued at critical height due to insufficient visual references. During the second approach the pilot-in-command took over the aircraft at a low altitude and landed. A heavy touchdown was made on runway 22 approximately 3,000 feet after the threshold at 0801 hours GMT. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and all 55 occupants were evacuated safely.

Douglas DC-6

On 12 April 1963, at 1521 hours GMT, Sterling Airways' DC-6B, OY-EAP, took off from Las Palmas Airport in the Canary Islands on a three-engine ferry flight bound for Copenhagen. After an intermediate refuelling stop at Barcelona, the aircraft departed again at 2224 GMT for Copenhagen. It contacted Copenhagen ATC when passing Michelsdorf on 13 April, at 0238 GMT. It was then at FL110 which was maintained until the aircraft, when over ROBBY NDD, was cleared to descend to FL45. At 0253 GMT, when passing PRESTO NDB at FL60, the aircraft reported that Copenhagen Airport was in sight, whereafter the flight mas performed with visual contact to this airport's runway 04. When passing marker beacon CODAN on the north coast of Stevns, the aircraft descended to 3,500-4,000 feet, the speed being normal, i. e. 170 kt. About 1 - 1/2 minutes later flaps were set to 20°, whereafter the speed in the course of the next few minutes was slowly reduced to 145 kt at which rate the undercarriage was extended and the flap angle was increased to 300. The altitude was then approximately 1 500 ft and the approach towards the clearly visible runway was continued in a shallow glide. The approach was rather low, for which reason the engine power had to be increased several times in order to reach the runway. On short final - probably immediately before passing the first approach lights - the pilot-in-command ordered full flaps. The speed was then 110-130 kt and the height still rather low. Shortly after the flaps were fully extended the aircraft showed a tendency to bank which the pilot-in-command tried to counteract by applying aileron control. When the aircraft was 100-200 m from the runway threshold, the pilot-in-command realizing that he no longer had sufficient control to make as the landing decided to abandon the landing. He ordered "pulling-up, full power, gear up, flaps twenty". The speed was then around 100 kt. The flight engineer immediately pushed the propeller pitch selector lever forward to full RPM position and thereafter advanced the throttles, at the same time moving the landing gear lever to the "up" position. When power was applied the aircraft immediately made a violent bank and an uncontrollable right-hand turn. About 10 seconds later the starboard wing tip hit the ground about 200 m beyond the threshold of runway 04 and 80 m to the right of the centre line. This caused the disintegration of the outer portion of the starboard wing whereupon the aircraft crashed. The aircraft came to a stop 220 m further on with its nose pointing roughly to 240°. The accident occurred at 0304 GMT, i. e. one hour before sunrise. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All three crew members were injured.