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'{{Short description|1992 plane crash in the Vosges Mountains, France}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Expand French|date=December 2018}} {{Infobox aircraft occurrence | name = Air Inter Flight 5148 | occurrence_type = Accident | image = Air Inter Airbus A320-111 Gilliand-1.jpg | image_upright = 1.2 | alt = | caption = F-GGED, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in January 1991 | date = {{start date|1992|1|20|df=y}};<br />{{Age in years and months|1992|01|20}} ago | type = [[Controlled flight into terrain]] due to ATC error and [[pilot error]]; Poor training and safety standards | site = [[Mont Sainte-Odile]], west of [[Bas-Rhin|Barr]], 10.5nm S/W of [[Strasbourg International Airport|Strasbourg Airport]], [[Strasbourg]], France<ref name="BEA"/> | coordinates = {{Coord|48|25|31|N|007|24|18|E|region:FR-67_type:event_scale:20000|display=title,inline}} | aircraft_type = [[Airbus A320-211|Airbus A320-111]] | operator = [[Air Inter]] | tail_number = {{Airreg|F|GGED}} | IATA = IT5148 | ICAO = ITF5148 | callsign = AIR INTER DELTA ALPHA 148<ref name="BEA"/> | origin = [[Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport|Lyon Satolas Airport]], France | destination = [[Strasbourg International Airport|Strasbourg Airport]], France | occupants = 96 | passengers = 90 | crew = 6 | injuries = 9 (5 serious, 4 minor) | fatalities = 87 | survivors = 9 }} [[File:Air Inter Flight 148 wreckage.jpg|thumb|Air Inter Flight 148 wreckage]] '''Air Inter Flight 5148''' ('''IT5148'''/'''ITF5148'''){{efn|The flightnumber is also incorrectly reported as '''Flight 148'''}} was a scheduled passenger flight from [[Lyon Satolas Airport]] to [[Strasbourg Airport]] in France. On 20 January 1992, the [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320]] operating the flight [[Controlled flight into terrain|crashed]] into the slopes of the [[Vosges Mountains]], [[France]], near [[Mont Sainte-Odile]], while on a non-precision approach at Strasbourg Airport. Eighty-seven of the 96 people on board were killed, while the remaining nine were all injured.<ref name="BEA">{{cite web |title=Rapport de la commission d'enquête sur l'accident survenu le 20 janvier 1992 près du Mont Sainte-Odile (Bas Rhin) à l'Airbus A 320 immatriculé F-GGED exploité par la compagnie Air Inter |trans-title=Report of the commission of inquiry into the accident on 20 January 1992 near Mont Sainte-Odile (Bas Rhin) to the Airbus A 320 registered F-GGED operated by Air Inter |url=http://www.bea.aero/docspa/1992/f-ed920120/htm/f-ed920120.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613020220/http://www.bea.aero/docspa/1992/f-ed920120/htm/f-ed920120.html |archive-date=13 June 2012 |access-date=14 April 2010 |publisher=[[Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety]] |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ranter |first=Harro |title=ASN Aircraft accident Airbus A320-111 F-GGED Strasbourg-Entzheim Airport (SXB) |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19920120-0 |url-status=live |access-date=2019-11-01 |website=aviation-safety.net |publisher=[[Aviation Safety Network]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050318021358/http://aviation-safety.net:80/database/record.php?id=19920120-0 |archive-date=18 March 2005 }}</ref> ==Aircraft== The aircraft, an [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320-111]], registration F-GGED, serial number 15, first flew on 4 November 1988, and was delivered to [[Air Inter]] on 22 December 1988. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated a total of 6,316 airframe hours.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 November 1993 |title=OFFICIAL REPORT into the accident on 20 January 1992 near Mont Sainte-Odile (Bas-Rhin) of the AIRBUS A320 registered F-GGED operated by Air Inter [English translation] |url=https://reports.aviation-safety.net/1992/19920120-0_A320_F-GGED.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2019-07-01 |website= |publisher=[[Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety]] |via=Aviation Safety Network|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922024418/https://reports.aviation-safety.net/1992/19920120-0_A320_F-GGED.pdf |archive-date=22 September 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-a320-15.htm |title=Air Inter F-GGED (Airbus A320 - MSN 15) {{!}} Airfleets aviation|website=www.airfleets.net |access-date=2019-07-02}}</ref> ==Accident== Flight 148, commanded by 42-year-old Captain Christian Hecquet, with 8,800 flight hours, and 37-year-old First Officer Joël Cherubin, with 3,600 flight hours.<ref name="Le Monde">{{cite news |url=http://www.lemonde.fr/cgi-bin/ACHATS/acheter.cgi?offre=ARCHIVES&type_item=ART_ARCH_30J&objet_id=943318 |title=Quatorze ans après, les causes de la catastrophe du mont Sainte-Odile restent incertaines |date=2 May 2006 |newspaper=[[Le Monde]] |access-date=14 April 2010 |language=fr |trans-title=Fourteen years later, the causes of the Mont Sainte-Odile disaster remain uncertain}}</ref> departed Lyon-Satolas (now called [[Lyon-Saint-Exupéry Airport]]) at 17:20 UTC. Both pilots were relatively new to the [[A320]] with a combined total of only 300 hours in the aircraft,<ref name="Report from Commission of Inquiry">{{Cite report|url=https://bea.aero/docspa/1992/f-ed920120/htm/f-ed920120.html |title=Report from Commission of Inquiry into accident of F-GGED |date=26 November 1993 |author=BEA |access-date=16 December 2022 |language=fr}}</ref> but both were familiar with Strasbourg Airport as both had flown into the airport many times. As the flight neared Strasbourg Airport, they informed ATC of their desire to follow the [[Instrument Landing System|ILS]] approach for Runway 23 until the airport was in sight, followed by a visual approach onto Runway 05. This type of approach onto Runway 05 was common at Strasbourg Airport;<ref name="Report from Commission of Inquiry">{{Cite report|url=https://bea.aero/docspa/1992/f-ed920120/htm/f-ed920120.html |title=Report from Commission of Inquiry into accident of F-GGED |date=26 November 1993 |author=BEA |access-date=16 December 2022 |language=fr}}</ref> being in close proximity to mountains and high terrain, Runway 05 was not equipped with ILS since the high terrain would interfere with the glide slope signal transmitted by the ILS. ATC denied the pilots approach request, saying there would be a significant delay because of conflict with several aircraft departing on Runway 05 and instead offered vectors for the [[VHF omnidirectional range|VOR]]/[[Distance measuring equipment (aviation)|DME]] approach for Runway 05, which the pilots accepted. The flight was cleared to descend to 5,000ft and vectored to the ANDLO waypoint 11 nautical miles from the Strasbourg Airport [[VHF omnidirectional range|VOR]]. ATC cleared the aircraft onto the final approach at 18:19 UTC as it passed ANDLO, where the pilots turned left onto the runway heading of 050 degrees and continued to descend as per the approach chart. At 18:20:33 UTC, Flight 148 crashed into the slopes of [[Mont Sainte-Odile]] at 2,620ft, 10.5 nautical miles from the airport. The search and rescue operation commenced at 18:40. 3 helicopters, 24 motorcycles and 950 people from the [[National Police (France)|Police Nationale]], [[National Gendarmerie]], [[Sécurité Civile]], as well as 24 amateur radio operators participated in the search and rescue operation.<ref name="Report from Commission of Inquiry">{{Cite report|url=https://bea.aero/docspa/1992/f-ed920120/htm/f-ed920120.html |title=Report from Commission of Inquiry into accident of F-GGED |date=26 November 1993 |author=BEA |access-date=16 December 2022 |language=fr}}</ref> Although almost 1000 people were involved in the search effort, it was criticised for being unprepared and disorganised as it was not clear which of the 3 agencies would lead the search, hampering the search and rescue effort. The crash site was not discovered until 22:35 UTC (4 hours and 15 minutes later) when a group of journalists were led to the wreckage by a surviving passenger. The first rescuers, a group of [[National Gendarmerie|Gendarmes]], arrived at 22:49 after being led to the wreckage by the same survivor and a journalist. The [[Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety]] (BEA) found that Flight 148 crashed because the pilots left the autopilot set in Vertical Speed Mode instead of Flight Path Angle Mode and then set "33" for "3.3° descent angle", resulting in a high descent rate of {{cvt|3300|ft}} per minute into terrain.<ref name="BEA"/> The pilots had no warning of the imminent impact because [[Air Inter]] had not equipped its aircraft with a [[ground proximity warning system]] (GPWS). It is speculated that this was because Air Inter—facing ferocious competition from France's [[TGV]] high-speed trains—may have encouraged its pilots to fly fast at low level (up to {{cvt|350|kn|km/h mph|disp=sqbr}} below {{cvt|10000|ft|disp=sqbr}}, while other airlines generally do not exceed {{cvt|250|kn|km/h mph|disp=sqbr}}), and GPWS systems gave too many nuisance warnings.<ref name="TheFinalBlow">{{Cite episode |title=The Final Blow |series=[[Mayday (Canadian TV series)|Mayday]] |network=[[Discovery Channel Canada]] / [[National Geographic Channel]] |season=9 |year=2010}}</ref> ==Aftermath== [[File:Site crash Mont Sainte-Odile 1992.jpg|thumb|The crash site of Flight 148 with a memorial plaque]] Accident investigators recommended 35 changes in their report. Airbus modified the interface of the autopilot so that a vertical speed setting would be displayed as a four-digit number, preventing confusion with the Flight Path Angle mode.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/35913 |title=DSpace@MIT: Experimental Study of Vertical Flight Path Mode Awareness |last1=Johnson |first1=Eric N. |last2=Pritchett |first2=Amy R. |date=March 1995 |website=Dspace.mit.edu |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |hdl=1721.1/35913 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120521172730/http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/www/labs/ASL/MODE_AWARENESS/mode_awareness.html |archive-date=21 May 2012 |access-date=8 February 2014}}</ref> The [[flight data recorder]] was upgraded so that it was able to withstand higher temperatures and for longer.<ref name="BEA"/><ref name="TheFinalBlow"/> The report also recommended that pilot training for the A320 should be enhanced and that ground proximity warning systems should be installed on them. Air Inter equipped its aircraft with ground proximity warning systems before the investigation was completed.<ref name="BEA"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/air-france-ceo-jean-cyril-spinetta-defends-rejection-of-gpws-equipment-on-air-inter-a320-fleet-despite-fatal-1992-st-odile-mountainside-crash-210280/ |title=Air France CEO Jean-Cyril Spinetta defends rejection of GPWS equipment on Air Inter A320 fleet, despite fatal 1992 St Odile mountainside crash |last=Turner |first=Aimée |date=2006-10-31 |website=Flightglobal.com |publisher=[[Flight International]] |access-date=2019-11-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/video-january-1992-air-inter-mt-saint-odile-crash-manslaughter-verdict-expected-7-november-in-colmar-210218/ |title=Video: January 1992 Air Inter Mt Saint Odile crash manslaughter verdict expected 7 November in Colmar |last=Wastnage |first=Justin |date=2006-10-25 |website=Flightglobal.com |publisher=Flight International |access-date=2019-11-01}}</ref> ==Dramatization== The story of the disaster was featured on the ninth season of [[Cineflix]] television show ''[[Mayday (Canadian TV series)|Mayday]]'' in the episode entitled "The Final Blow" (also known as ''Air Crash Investigation'' as episode entitled "Crashed and Missing" or "Doomed to Fail" (S09E07)).<ref name="TheFinalBlow"/> It is featured in season 2, episode 5, of the TV show ''[[Why Planes Crash]]'', in an episode called "Sudden Impact". == See also == {{Portal|France|Aviation}} *[[Indian Airlines Flight 605]], similar crash in India two years earlier *[[Crossair Flight 3597]], a similar [[CFIT]] crash caused by violating Minimum Safe Altitude *[[Air China Flight 129]], another CFIT accident caused by multiple pilot and ATC errors *[[American Airlines Flight 965]], a [[Boeing 757]] that crashed in a CFIT accident due to multiple pilot errors and poor computer design *[[Alitalia Flight 404]], another CFIT accident that occurred when landing in Zurich. This accident involved pilot errors and a NAV-1 receiver failure that led to the failure of the glideslope and GPWS. *[[Garuda Indonesia Flight 152]], a CFIT accident caused by pilot and ATC errors combined with GPWS failure == Footnotes == {{notelist}} == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == {{Commons category|Air Inter Flight 148}} *''[[Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety]]'' **"[http://www.bea.aero/docspa/1992/f-ed920120/htm/f-ed920120.html RAPPORT de la commission d'enquête sur l'accident survenu le 20 janvier 1992 près du Mont Sainte-Odile (Bas Rhin) à l'Airbus A 320 immatriculé F-GGED exploité par la compagnie Air Inter]. [REPORT of the Commission of Inquiry on into the accident on 20 January 1992 near Mont Sainte-Odile (Bas-Rhin) of the AIRBUS A320 registered F-GGED operated by the company Air Inter]" {{in lang|fr}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120613020220/http://www.bea.aero/docspa/1992/f-ed920120/htm/f-ed920120.html Archive]) **[https://www.bea.aero/uploads/tx_elydbrapports/F-GGED.pdf PDF version] {{in lang|fr}} *[https://rvs-bi.de/publications/Incidents/DOCS/ComAndRep/Strasbourg/Strasbourgrep/strasbourgrep.html Text version of final report] at the [[University of Bielefeld]] {{in lang|fr}} *{{YouTube|title=CVR recording|id=oHgE7SvxfCQ}} {{Aviation accidents and incidents in France}} {{Aviation incidents and accidents in 1992}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by pilot error]] [[Category:Airliner accidents and incidents involving controlled flight into terrain]] [[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in France]] [[Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Airbus A320]] [[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1992]] [[Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by design or manufacturing errors]] [[Category:Air Inter accidents and incidents]] [[Category:January 1992 events in Europe]] [[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents caused by air traffic controller error]]'