What happened
While cruising along the Italian coast, the crew encountered deteriorating weather conditions characterized by severe icing. The flight phase was enroute when the pilot informed air traffic control of the intention to divert to Rome Airport. As the aircraft proceeded through areas of low visibility caused by cloud cover, it impacted the slope of Monti della Meta, situated a few kilometers northeast of the village of Picinisco.
Search and rescue operations were initiated immediately following the loss of contact but were suspended after several days due to the inability to locate any traces of the aircraft or the crew. The wreckage was eventually discovered by walkers in May 1946. Meteorological reports indicated that heavy cumulus clouds extended from 1,200 meters up to 5,000 meters altitude at the time of the incident.
Findings
Investigations suggested that the accident resulted from a misjudgment of the severity of the icing conditions. Additionally, it was concluded that the flight had not been properly prepared for the weather challenges encountered during the diversion.