Sicily

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.

Following an uneventful flight from Rome-Fiumicino, the crew started the descent to Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport by night and good visibility (up to 10 km). Following a 'normal' VOR/DME approach, the crew continued the descent down to 150 feet over the sea when, at 3 km from the shore, the pilot-in-command (the copilot in this case) initiated a slight turn to the left to join runway 21. At a speed of 150 knots, the left wing tip struck the water surface and the aircraft crashed into the sea. All five crew members and 103 passengers were killed while 21 others were rescued by fishermen.

On approach to Palermo-Punta Raisi on a flight from Rome-Ciampino, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea few km offshore. All three occupants were killed.

The crew was returning to Sigonella NAS following a fire fighting mission. While completing a turn on approach, the airplane stalled and crashed in Misterbianco, west of Catania. A pilot was seriously injured while the second occupant was killed.

Following an uneventful flight from Rome-Fiumicino Airport, the crew started the approach to Palermo-Punta Raisi by night. The four engine airplane was too low and struck the slope of Mt Longa (600 meters high) located 7 km south of the airport, west of the village of Carini. It was determined that the aircraft struck the mountain just few meters below its summit and disintegrated on impact. All 115 occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was limited to 5 km with clouds down to 1,500 feet.

The crew reported his position to Naples ATC at 1400LT en route to Sigonella NAS near Catania, Sicily. Later, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity when the airplane went out of control and crashed into the Ionian Sea off Catania. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the six crew members was found.

Shortly after takeoff from Sigonella NAS, while in initial climb, an engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed near the runway end. A crew member was seriously injured while three others were killed.
Crew:
Lt Giovanni Attanasio, †
Lt Carmello Basile, †
Salvatore Mantella, †
Sgt Angelo Pozzi.

The crew departed Sigonella Airbase for a local training mission when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea southeast of Syracuse. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Claudio Martinelli,
Lt Rino Meini.

The crew was completing a training mission out from Catania when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the Ionian Sea some 32 km east of Catania. Both pilots were killed.

The crew was engaged in a fire fighting mission in the center of Sicily. As the mission was over, the crew was returning to his base at Sigonella NAS when, cruising by night at an insufficient altitude, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near the village of Valguarnera. The wreckage was found few hours later and both pilots were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Giancario Napolitano,
1st Lt Arnaldo Pala.