Santiago de Compostela – Madrid

On May 9, 1957 at 07:04 PM, Santiago de Compostela – Madrid experienced a crash involving Bristol 170 Freighter, operated by Aviaco - Aviacion y Comercio, with the event recorded near Madrid-Barajas Madrid.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

37 people were known to be on board, 37 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 5, passengers on board: 32, passenger fatalities: 32, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft was on a scheduled passenger transport flight from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid, carrying 32 passengers and 5 crew. As requested, the flight passed downwind to align itself for landing on the assigned runway 23 during which maneuver the control tower gave it the green light for landing. The aircraft went by at an altitude of about 300 metres, banking slightly to the left in order to see the light signal more easily. At 1904 hours it saw the green light, compensated for its left bank and, banking to the right, started a right spin which continued to the ground. The aircraft hit the ground with the front part of the fuselage, the right wing and the right engine propeller and caught fire. Although the airport fire fighting services reached the aircraft 6 minutes after the accident and promptly went into action, it was impossible to extinguish fire completely for more an hour. Its effects, however, were reduced to such an extent that the crew and passengers could have been saved had they not all died as a consequence of the violent impact.

Aircraft reference details include registration EC-ADI, MSN 12757, year of manufacture 1946.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 40.4574°, -3.5619°.