Date & Time:
May 7, 1943 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.75
Operator:
Registration:
I-MOLE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tunis - Castelvetrano
MSN:
32070
YOM:
1939
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
4
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane departed Tunis in the early evening bound for Castelvetrano carrying wounded soldiers. At that time, the aircraft was heavily loaded. On a night approach to Castelvetrano, weather conditions were poor with low clouds and rain falls. The first approach was abandoned by the captain because he was unable to locate the runway due to poor visibility and the fact that the airplane's approach lights were out of order. During the second approach, the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway but the speed was too high (160 km/h). During the last segment, the captain reduced the engine power to idle when the airplane stalled and hit the runway surface. Upon impact, the right wing caught fire and the airplane went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. Four soldiers (three Germans and one French) were killed while 33 other occupants were injured. The airplane was destroyed by fire.
Crew:
Lt Alfredo Bonsignore, pilot,
Sgt Ugo Antonellini, pilot,
Sgt Armando Marchetti, flight engineer,
Sgt Beniamino Valobra, radio navigator,
Sgt Pietro Punzi, air gunner.
Crew:
Lt Alfredo Bonsignore, pilot,
Sgt Ugo Antonellini, pilot,
Sgt Armando Marchetti, flight engineer,
Sgt Beniamino Valobra, radio navigator,
Sgt Pietro Punzi, air gunner.
