Aerolinee Itavia

Douglas DC-9

The airplane departed Bologna Airport at 2008LT on a regular schedule service to Palermo, carrying 77 passengers and a crew of four. While cruising at an altitude of 24,000 feet, the airplane disappeared from radar screens and the crew was unable to send any distress call. SAR operations were initiated and few debris and dead bodies were found floating on water about 25 km northeast of Ustica Island, north of Sicily. The main wreckage sank by a depth of 3,500 meters. The cause o the accident could not be determined. On 28 April 1987, Italian authorities decided to refloat the wreckage and traces of T4 explosive was found and several debris. In reference to ATC testimony, two unidentified objects were flying in the area at the time of the accident and it is believed this was two Libyan fighters. One of the pilot probably decided to leave and placed his plane below the DC-9 that exploded when the second pilot tried to shot him down. After the air-air missile was shot, the first fighter leaved the area, causing the missile to struck the DC-9. In 1994, Italian Authorities questioned this theory when a new official document reported that the DC-9 exploded in mid-air due to the denotation of an explosive device placed on board. In 2000, the real cause of this tragedy was still unknown. In 2008, following statements from the ex President of the Italian Republic Francesco Cossiga, the assumption that the airplane may have been shot down by a French missile was rediscussed. The President stated that French and US Authorities thought that the Libyan President Mouammar Kadhafi was on board and must be killed. Many theories were published since 1980 and the exact cause and circumstances of this tragedy remain unknown to date.

Fokker F28 Fellowship

During the takeoff roll at Bergamo-Orio al Serio Airport, the captain started the rotation when he noticed a sudden loss of power on both engines. Decision to abandon the takeoff was taken and the captain initiated an emergency braking procedure. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, struck several approach lights, lost its nose gear and came to rest 200 meters further. All 31 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Fokker F28 Fellowship

The approach to Torino-Caselle Airport was initiated in marginal weather with limited visibility due to foggy conditions and snow falls. On final, the flight crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck successively a tree and a building under construction before crashing in flames. The aircraft came to rest upside down about 3,7 km short of runway 36 threshold. A crew member and three passengers were rescued while 38 other occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the RVR for runway 36 was 900 meters.

Handley Page HPR-7 Dart Herald

While completing a local training flight at Rome-Ciampino, the crew encountered engine problems. On touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. While both pilots were uninjured, the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Flight IH703 was a scheduled domestic flight from Pescara Airport to Rome-Ciampino. The aircraft which had departed Rome at 1526 hours GMT, took off from Pescara with the same crew at 1736 hours on an IFR plan and climbed to flight level 100, its cruising altitude. At 1739 hours the pilot requested radar guidance from the Pescara defence radar "FIONDA", which is not normally available for flight information service to civil aircraft. The first part of the flight was intentionally carried out south of the direct route to avoid heavy cloud formations. At 1750 hours the Pescara defence radar picked up the flight in the Ortona area and at approximately 1803 hours it passed to the flight "QDM Ciampino 265°, distance 80 NM". At 1805 hours the pilot reported this position to the Rome ACC/FIC. After having directed the flight around some cumulonimbus the Pescara defence radar lost the aircraft at 1812 hours. At 1816 hours the pilot enquired whether the aircraft had been picked up by the Rome surveillance radar. Two minutes later he reported to Rome ACC/FIC that he was crossing the eastern edge of airway A 14 and requested a clearance to Rome NDB "LJ". At 1822 hours he reported having Rome in sight and requested authorization to descend from flight level 100. - Two minutes later, upon confirmation that Rome was in sight, the flight was cleared to proceed to Rome NDB and to descend to 6 000 ft. At 1828 hours the pilot reconfirmed that he had Rome in sight and requested clearance to descend further. The flight was then given instruction to contact Ciampino tower, but was unable to establish communication either on the tower frequency or on 120.1 or 124.1 MC/S and therefore came back on the Rome ACC/FIC frequency. At 1830 hours the pilot reported that he was unable to tune on Rome NDB and had to keep out of the clouds since his radio compass was not working properly. At that time the Rome 2 defence radar which had first picked up the flight around 1802 hours, lost its trace in the Arpino area. Around 1832 hours, on a request from Rome ACC/FIC, the pilot reported that he was in the vicinity of Mount Cavo, of which he could see the antennae. One minute later the flight lost visual contact with the ground and, since the pilot believed that his radio compass was out of order, he requested clearance to proceed on Ostia VOR. At 1835 hours he was cleared to Ostia VOR at 6 000 ft, but reported that his VOR was not giving reliable information and that he would fly on a heading of 270° and break over the sea. This was the last message of the aircraft. The aircraft was subsequently found on a very steep slope on the southeast side of Mount Serra Alta at an elevation of 1,630 m. All eight occupants were killed. Crew: Ernesto Roggero , pilot, Erminio Carlo Bonfanti, copilot, Luigi Politta, steward. Passengers: Leonbruno Angeloni, Marco Di Michele, Marvin Walter Gelber, Nicolò Marcello, Guido Mancini.

De Havilland DH.114 Heron

While flying in marginal weather conditions between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ligurian Sea, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of Mt Capanne located in the west part of Elbe Island, at an altitude of 728 meters. The aircraft was destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to clouds and the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain. Crew: Ennio Scipione, pilot, Francesco Cossu, copilot, Giovanna Pertusio, stewardess, Grazia Candeloro, stewardess. Passengers: Giorgio Bracci, Ernesto Cuomo Ulloa, Maria Pia Dalmau, Adelaide Rocca Dalmau, Elio Perugi, Silvio Sciunnach, Naomichi Takashima.