Caproni Ca.33

Regia Aeronautica

The aircraft departed Campoformido Airport, Udine, for an official but secret flight to Bratislava, Slovakia. On approach to Ivanka Airport, while flying at an altitude between 50 and 80 metres, the aircraft banked left, nosed down and crashed in an open field located in Vajnory, some 4 km north of the airfield, bursting into flames. All four occupants were killed. Crew: Lt Giotto Mancinelli-Scotti, pilot, Sgt Umberto Merlini, pilot, Gabriele Aggiusti, radionavigator. Passenger: General Milan Rastislav Štefánik. The international airport of Bratislava will be later renamed Bratislava-Ivanka-Milan Rastislav Štefánik.