20 people killed after old-time plane crashes in Swiss Alps, authorities say | Fox News

All 20 people on board an old-time propeller plane were killed Saturday after the aircraft crashed in the Swiss Alps, authorities told Swiss media.

Police in southeastern Graubuenden canton said the JU-Air’s JU-52 HB-HOT aircraft crashed on the Piz Segnas mountain above the Swiss Alpine resort of Flims, a place popular with hikers and also contains a glacier. The plane holds 17 passengers, two pilots and a flight attendant.

“The JU-Air team is deeply saddened and is thinking of the passengers, the crew and families and friends of the victims,” JU-Air wrote in a statement on its website Sunday.

Eleven men, nine women were killed, officials told Swiss news website 20min.ch. Most of the people killed were from Switzerland, along with an Austrian couple and their son.

A witness told Reuters the plane wreckage was in a basin. Officials said Sunday the vintage aircraft appeared to hit the ground near-vertically and at a high speed.

Authorities are investigating what caused the deadly crash. Officials said Sunday they weren’t aware of any distress call made from the plane, adding that the investigation into the crash is expected to be “relatively complex” — though there’s no indication of foul play.

JU-52 HB-HOT aircraft does not have a crash-resistant cockpit voice and data recorders because it is an older model.

Initial investigation showed the plane did not lose any parts or break up before it crashed in the Swiss Alps. Collision with another aircraft and hitting an obstacle have been ruled out as a potential cause.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

😔😔😔😔

Fünf Pfennige auf dem Gras, mal zwanzig.

Mit Gott gehen.

I’d be interested in the weather at the location at time of the accident. We can start with cloud cover and visibility, then look at winds aloft.

Mountain weather, anything's possible, although presumably those pilots knew the area. Old airplane, maybe not much redundancy in structure or flight controls.

There was a recently installed cable about 1,000 feet AGL in the immediate vicinity. It was NOTAMed but not known if the pilots were aware or not. Possible they pulled up to miss the cable and lost control without actually hitting it?

Being Swiss I’m pretty sure this was a well regulated organization and I’m not aware of any incidents.
I’m assuming this was a well known route for them with this airplane.

Straight down doesn't sound good for an airplane with a barn door wing.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mhRTiLY6YME
A clip of the same aircraft in better days. Used in the filming of “Where Eagles Dare”.

Interested to see what the investigation reveals. Iron Annie (N52JU) called GNV home for a years. Still flying as D-AQUI.