 VT-CQP, the aircraft involved in the accident, in 1949 | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 3 November 1950 |
| Summary | Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) in poor weather |
| Site | Mont Blanc |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Lockheed L-749A Constellation |
| Aircraft name | Malabar Princess |
| Operator | Air India |
| Registration | VT-CQP |
| Flight origin | Sahar International Airport, Bombay, India |
| 1st stopover | Cairo International Airport, Cairo, Egypt |
| 2nd stopover | Cointrin Airport, Geneva, Switzerland |
| Destination | London Heathrow Airport, London, United Kingdom |
| Passengers | 40 |
| Crew | 8 |
| Fatalities | 48 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Air India Flight 245 was a scheduled Air India passenger flight from Bombay to London via Cairo and Geneva. On the morning of 3 November 1950, the Lockheed L-749A Constellation serving the flight crashed into Mont Blanc, France, while approaching Geneva. All 48 aboard were killed.
The plane operating the flight was named Malabar Princess, registered VT-CQP. It was piloted by Captain Alan R. Saint, 34, and co-pilot V. Y. Korgaokar and was carrying 40 passengers and 8 crew. While over France, descending towards Geneva Airport, the flight crashed into the French Alps in stormy weather, killing all on board.[1][2][3]
- ^ "MALABAR PRINCESS". Retrieved 17 June 2009.
- ^ "The "Malabar Princess" Catastrophe". Archived from the original on 20 June 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
- ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety. Retrieved 17 June 2009.