San Francisco – New York – Milan
Flight / Schedule
San Francisco – New York – Milan
Aircraft
Boeing 707Registration
N18701
MSN
18978/465
Year of Manufacture
1966
Operator
Trans World Airlines - TWADate
December 22, 1975 at 10:29 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Milan-Malpensa Lombardy
Region
Europe • Italy
Coordinates
45.6296°, 8.7235°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On December 22, 1975 at 10:29 AM, San Francisco – New York – Milan experienced a crash involving Boeing 707, operated by Trans World Airlines - TWA, with the event recorded near Milan-Malpensa Lombardy.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
122 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 122 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.
Crew on board: 9, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 113, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The approach to Milan-Malpensa Airport was completed in limited visibility due to foggy conditions. During the last segment, the airplane struck the ground to the left of the main runway. On impact, all landing gears and all four engines were torn off. The aircraft slid for few hundred meters then came to rest in a grassy area with the fuselage bent and the cockpit that separated from the rest of the aircraft. All 122 occupants were evacuated, 26 of them were injured, among them the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
Aircraft reference details include registration N18701, MSN 18978/465, year of manufacture 1966.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 45.6296°, 8.7235°.
Fatalities
Total
0
Crew
0
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The approach to Milan-Malpensa Airport was completed in limited visibility due to foggy conditions. During the last segment, the airplane struck the ground to the left of the main runway. On impact, all landing gears and all four engines were torn off. The aircraft slid for few hundred meters then came to rest in a grassy area with the fuselage bent and the cockpit that separated from the rest of the aircraft. All 122 occupants were evacuated, 26 of them were injured, among them the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
9
Passengers On Board
113
Estimated Survivors
122
Fatality Rate
0.0%
Known people on board: 122
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
San Francisco – New York – Milan
Operator
Trans World Airlines - TWAFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
Europe • Italy
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Royal Air Force - RAF
Handley Page H.P.12
The aircraft departed London on a flight to Cairo, carrying four crew members. In Paris, one passenger, Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence (awa Lawrence of Arabia) embarked to fly to Cairo after taking part to the 1919 Peace Conference in Paris. While approaching Rome-Centocelle Airport at dusk, the pilot encountered limited visibility and attempted a go-around procedure when the aircraft clipped a tree and crashed upside down. Both pilots were killed and three other occupants were injured. Crew: 2nd Lt Frederick George Prince, pilot, † 2nd Lt Sydney Spratt, pilot, † Aircraftman F. J. Daw +1. Passenger: Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence.
De Havilland Aeroplane Hire Service
De Havilland DH.9
Shortly after takeoff from Venice Airport, while climbing, the aircraft named 'Atlanta' crashed in the sea and sank. All four occupants were killed.
Compagnie Internationale de Navigation Aérienne - CIDNA
Caudron C.59
The crew was engaged in a reconnaissance flight to find new routes to Far East. While approaching the Italian coast following an uneventful flight from Tehran, he encountered technical problems and was forced to ditch the aircraft in the Bay of Naples. Both pilots evacuated safely and were later rescued by the crew of a Danish ship while the aircraft sank and was lost. Crew: Maurice Noguès, Chief Pilot August Morin, mechanic.
Air Union France
Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-196
On the leg from Ajaccio to Tunis, while flying over the Mediterranean Sea, the crew encountered engine problems and ditched the aircraft off Ustica Island, north of Palermo. The crew was rescued three days later and the aircraft was recovered but considered as written off. Crew: Jean Ponce, pilot, Mr. Maillard, mechanic.
Società Italiana Servizi Aerei - SISA
CANT 10
Crashed in sea in unknown circumstances.
Imperial Airways
Short S.8 Calcutta
Named 'City of Rome', the seaplane was performing an flight from Naples to Genoa, carrying five passengers and two crew members. While cruising along the Italian coast in poor weather conditions, the crew encountered unknown technical problems and elected to ditch the airplane in the sea, some 15 km off La Spezia. Upon landing, the airplane hit high waves and overturned, killing all seven occupants. While being towed by authorities, the aircraft sank and was lost.
