What happened
On a scheduled flight from Athens-Ellinikon Airport to Rome, a four-engine airplane experienced a catastrophic loss of control while cruising at 28,000 feet. The aircraft was performing its final leg of a journey before an intended transatlantic crossing to New York. During the cruise phase, the plane entered a steep dive and impacted the Ionian Sea approximately 80 km west of Kefalonia Island, Greece.
Search efforts located various pieces of debris floating on the water's surface; however, there were no survivors among the 88 occupants on board the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations into the accident concluded that an explosive device detonated within the rear cargo area. This blast caused the cabin floor to buckle and sustain significant damage. The structural deformation resulted in the stretching or potential snapping of the control cables responsible for the rudder and elevator systems. The subsequent loss of stability in these control surfaces led to intense yawing and pitching, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable.