Investigation Summary
The flight departed Pescara at 17:36 GMT under an IFR plan. Due to heavy cloud formations, the pilot intentionally deviated south of the direct route. During the flight, the crew encountered significant technical difficulties: the radio compass was not working properly, and the VOR was giving unreliable information. Despite these failures, the pilot reported having Rome in sight at 18:22 and requested a descent from 10,000 feet. Investigators believe the pilot misidentified lights on the ground and the antennae of Mount Cavo, leading to a false sense of situational awareness. The aircraft was actually approximately 6.5 km northwest of Sora, far from the reported position. The descent clearance to 6,000 feet, and subsequent attempts to maintain visual contact with the ground in adverse weather, placed the aircraft on a collision course with Mount Serra Alta. The wreckage was not reached until April 1 due to the steep, inaccessible terrain.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the primary cause was pilot error in determining the aircraft's position. This led to a premature descent based on the presumed identification of landmarks. Contributing factors included particularly adverse weather conditions during the night segment, the failure of the crew to report route deviations to air traffic control, and the failure of onboard navigation equipment (radio compass and VOR) which the pilot misjudged or attempted to compensate for by seeking visual contact at unsafe altitudes.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Ernesto Roggero
First Officer
Erminio Carlo Bonfanti
Systems & Failure Modes
Radio Compass / NDB
The crew reported the radio compass was not working properly and they were unable to tune into the Rome Non-Directional Beacon (NDB).
VOR
In the final minutes of the flight, the pilot reported that the VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) equipment was providing unreliable information.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Douglas C-47B manufactured in 1945 with manufacturer serial number 33225/16477.
- 02The crash occurred only 50 meters below the mountain ridge.
- 03The wreckage was located on a very steep slope and was not reached by rescuers for two days.
- 04The pilot had over 10,000 total flight hours, with 2,296 on the DC-3 type.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Civil-Military Radar Coordination
The investigation highlighted that the pilot requested radar guidance from the Pescara defense radar 'FIONDA', a service not normally available to civil aircraft. This underscored the need for formalized procedures when civil flights utilize military radar for navigation in adverse weather.