Italy | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While overflying the Swiss Alps, the aircraft disappeared. As it failed to arrive in Milan, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few weeks later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 13 occupant was found. A mountain guide found the wreckage 14 years later, on 14 July 1952, on the slope of the Piz Cengalo located at the border between Italy and Switzerland, on the Italian territory. Few mail bags were recovered and returned to local authorities.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Macchi M.C.94 in Mornago: 15 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1938 at 1700 LT

Type of aircraft:

Macchi M.C.94

Operator:

Registration:

I-NILO

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

94001

YOM:

1938

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Circumstances:

All occupants were engineers and technicians of the Italian manufacturer Macchi Aeronautica. They were conducting a test flight when the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Mornago, southwest of Varese. All 15 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.73 in Maranola: 19 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1938 at 1400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Savoia-Marchetti SM.73

Operator:

Registration:

I-MEDA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Tirana – Rome

MSN:

30020

YOM:

1937

Flight number:

422

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Circumstances:

En route from Tirana to Rome, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Too low, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located in Maranela, northeast of Formia. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 19 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m off Venice

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1938

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

I-BEZI

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Venice - Venice

MSN:

4062

YOM:

1935

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a local training flight out from Venice-Lido Airport. While flying at full power, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed into the sea off the Lido coast. Both crewmen were injured and the aircraft sank.

Crash of a Bloch MB.200 near Iglesias: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1938 at 2300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bloch MB.200

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Bizerte - Bizerte

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Captain / Total flying hours:

2000

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed AFB on a night maritime patrol flight over the Mediterranean Sea. It crashed in unknown circumstances near Iglesias, south Sardinia. All five crew members were killed, among them pilot Gaston Inemarc.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat off Brindisi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1937

Type of aircraft:

Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADUZ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

S.817

YOM:

1937

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Shortly after takeoff from the harbor of Brindisi, the seaplane named 'Cygnus' stalled and crashed into the sea. Six people were injured while two other (a crew member and a passenger) were killed.

Probable cause:

Wrong takeoff configuration on part of the flying crew who wrongly set up the flaps for takeoff, causing the aircraft to stall.

Crash of a General Aircraft ST-25 Monospar Jubilee in Lomaso: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1937

Type of aircraft:

General Aircraft ST-25 Monospar

Operator:

Henry Roland Kasimir d’Erlanger

Registration:

G-ADMD

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

YOM:

1935

Location:

Lomaso

Trentino-Alto Adige / Südtirol

Country:

Italy

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reasons. While trying to land, the airplane collided with trees and crashed. The pilot Baron Henry Roland Kasimir d’Erlanger was killed.