Helios Airways Flight 522: The Tragedy That Changed Greek Aviation

On August 13, 2005, Helios Airways Flight 522 was en route from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Prague, Czech Republic, with a stopover in Athens, Greece. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until a few minutes after takeoff when the plane's cabin suddenly depressurized.

The rapid depressurization caused everyone on board to lose consciousness, including the pilots. The plane continued to fly on autopilot for over an hour, until it ran out of fuel and crashed into Mount Grammaticus, Greece. All 121 people on board were killed.

The crash of Helios Airways Flight 522 was the deadliest aviation accident in Greek history. It also led to a number of changes in Greek aviation regulations, including the installation of oxygen masks in all passenger planes and the creation of a new air traffic control center in Athens.

The cause of the accident was ultimately determined to be a faulty switch that controlled the plane's cabin pressure. The switch had been accidentally turned to the manual position, which prevented the plane from automatically pressurizing the cabin. As a result, the passengers and crew lost consciousness and the plane crashed.

In addition to the changes in Greek aviation regulations, the crash of Helios Airways Flight 522 also led to a number of legal proceedings. Five Helios Airways executives were charged with manslaughter and causing death by reckless, reckless, or dangerous act. The Court of First Instance of Athens found four of them guilty and sentenced them to 13 years in prison. The fifth executive was acquitted.

Vasilis Papadopoulos / Eurokiniss

The crash of Helios Airways Flight 522 is a reminder of the importance of safety in aviation. It is also a reminder that even the most experienced pilots and air traffic controllers can make mistakes. The changes that were made in Greek aviation regulations after the crash have helped to make Greek skies safer for everyone who flies.

In the aftermath of the crash, a number of questions were raised about the safety of Helios Airways. The airline had a history of safety violations, and some experts questioned whether it was properly equipped to operate a Boeing 737. However, the Greek government ultimately cleared Helios Airways of any wrongdoing.

The crash of Helios Airways Flight 522 also raised concerns about the safety of air traffic control in Greece. The air traffic controllers who were responsible for monitoring Helios Airways Flight 522 were not properly trained to handle a situation where the cabin pressure had been lost. As a result, they were unable to prevent the crash.

The crash of Helios Airways Flight 522 was a tragedy that could have been prevented. The changes that have been made to Greek aviation regulations since the crash have helped to make Greek skies safer, but there is still more work to be done. The aviation industry must continue to work to improve safety standards and ensure that all pilots and air traffic controllers are properly trained.