Investigation Summary
The flight departed Rome-Urbe for a scheduled passenger service to Genoa. While en route, the aircraft encountered adverse weather conditions between the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Seas. The aircraft deviated from its intended track and struck the slope of Mount Capanne on the western part of Elba Island at an altitude of 728 meters. The investigation highlighted that the aircraft was flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) despite being in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), leading to the impact with terrain that was obscured by clouds.
Final Conclusions
The accident was classified as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). The primary causes were identified as navigation errors and the decision to continue the flight at a low altitude in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) without positive radio navigation fixes. The presence of strong winds and poor visibility contributed to the crew's inability to maintain the correct track and altitude.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Radio Navigation
The aircraft relied on Non-Directional Beacons (NDB) for navigation; inaccuracies or signal degradation in stormy weather may have contributed to the track deviation.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a de Havilland DH-114 Heron 2, a four-engine light transport.
- 02The crash site was located at an altitude of 728 meters (2,388 feet) on Mount Capanne.
- 03Weather at the time of the accident included poor visibility due to clouds and marginal conditions.
- 04This was the first fatal accident in the history of Itavia.
- 05The crew was flying under VFR in IMC conditions for unknown reasons.
Location
ACCIDENT SITE · Coordinates taken from the wikidata coordinate.