The flight was a
domestic scheduled passenger service from
Chania on the island of
Crete to
Athens. While on approach to Athens and with its
undercarriage retracted, the aircraft struck Mount Paneio at an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet. The weather at the time of the crash was characterized by rain and high winds. The crash of Flight 954 was the deadliest aviation accident in
Greek history at the time it took place, a record it maintained until the crash of
Helios Airways Flight 522 nearly thirty-six years later. It is still the deadliest aviation accident involving a Douglas DC-6, and the deadliest crash in the history of Olympic Airways. ==Cause==