1978-12-16: Cessna 421C Golden Eagle III (I-ASCN) — Air 70 — Leonessa, Italy

10 fatalitiesLeonessa, ItalyFlight

A twin-engine charter flight traveling from Trieste to Algiers crashed in Leonessa after striking power lines during low visibility.

What happened

A twin-engine aircraft departed Trieste-Ronchi dei Legionari Airport at 10:45 local time, operating as a charter service bound for Algiers. The flight was carrying a delegation from Icomsa, consisting of eight passengers and two pilots. The flight plan included a scheduled intermediate stop in Rome.

While navigating through foggy conditions that significantly restricted visibility, the aircraft was cruising at an insufficient altitude. During this phase of flight, the plane collided with power cables, which led to a crash into a residential building located in Leonessa, approximately 80 km northeast of Rome. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the twin engine airplane and caused eight fatalities, as all occupants on board were killed.

Findings

The investigation determined that the crew was operating in limited visibility due to fog. The primary factor contributing to the accident was that the crew failed to maintain a safe altitude while flying through the obscured conditions, leading to the collision with electrical infrastructure.

Probable cause

The flight crew's failure to maintain sufficient altitude during low-visibility conditions led to a collision with power lines.