Accident
A twin-engine aircraft operating a charter flight from Frankfurt to Nice crashed in a mountainous area southwest of Saluzzo, Piedmont, Italy. The flight was conducted at night. On board were a crew of two and four passengers, including German industrialist Harald Quandt, owner of BMW. During cruising flight over Italy, the airplane lost control, dove into the ground, and was totally destroyed. All six occupants were killed.
Investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and operational records to determine the cause of the accident. The exact circumstances leading to the loss of control could not be established definitively. The investigation considered various possibilities, including a potential failure of the electrical system.
Probable Cause
The official findings stated that the exact cause could not be determined. However, the assumption that the loss of control was caused by a failure of the electric system was not ruled out.