On December 22, 1975, a Boeing 707 (registration N18701) operated by Trans World Airlines - TWA was involved in an aviation accident near Milan-Malpensa, Italy during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of the pilot-in-command to follow the approved procedures. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During approach to Milan-Malpensa Airport in foggy conditions, an aircraft struck the ground left of the runway. All 122 occupants were evacuated, 26 of them injured, including Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
Accident
The approach to Milan-Malpensa Airport was conducted under limited visibility due to foggy conditions. In the final segment of the approach, the aircraft struck the ground to the left of the main runway. On impact, all landing gears and all four engines were torn off. The aircraft slid for several hundred meters before coming to rest in a grassy area. The fuselage was bent and the cockpit separated from the rest of the aircraft.
Evacuation and Injuries
All 122 occupants were evacuated from the aircraft. Among them, 26 sustained injuries, including the renowned Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
Probable Cause
The official finding attributed the accident to the failure of the pilot-in-command to follow the approved procedures.
