Investigation Summary
On January 26, 1953, a Douglas DC-3 operated by Linee Aeree Italiane (LAI) crashed while in transit between Cagliari and Rome. The aircraft encountered severe weather conditions over the mountainous terrain of Sardinia. The investigation into the accident focused on the structural integrity of the airframe when subjected to extreme atmospheric turbulence and vertical gusts. The breakup of the aircraft in flight suggested that aerodynamic loads exceeded the design limits of the DC-3 structure under the prevailing meteorological conditions.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the primary cause of the accident was a structural failure of the left wing caused by extreme turbulence. The aircraft was airworthy prior to the encounter, but the meteorological conditions produced gusts that imposed stresses beyond the ultimate load factor of the DC-3 airframe.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Wing Structure
The main spar and attachment points of the left wing failed under excessive aerodynamic loading.
Airframe
The Douglas DC-3 airframe was designed for rugged use but was not built to withstand the extreme vertical gusts encountered in this specific storm cell.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident resulted in the deaths of all 19 people on board, including 3 crew members and 16 passengers.
- 02The aircraft was a Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain, registration I-LAIL, manufactured in 1941 (MSN 4308).
- 03The crash site was located in the mountainous pine forest region of Sinnai, Sardinia.
- 04The structural failure occurred approximately 15 km northwest of the departure airport during the climb phase.
- 05The aircraft encountered extreme turbulence and vertical gusts that led to the separation of the left wing.
Location
ACCIDENT SITE · Coordinates taken from the wikidata coordinate.