What happened
Approximately one hour before the scheduled arrival time at Naples, the flight encountered deteriorating meteorological conditions characterized by low visibility caused by cloud cover. During this period, the radio navigator reported to ground control that he had lost spatial orientation and was unable to determine the aircraft's position. Consequently, the aircraft deviated significantly from its prescribed flight path, straying approximately 300 kilometers to the southwest.
The incident concluded when the aircraft impacted the slope of a mountain situated roughly 800 meters from the Boccadifalco airport, located west of Palermo. Following the crash, one passenger survived and was evacuated to a local hospital for treatment. Tragically, 24 other occupants were killed in the accident.
Findings
At the time of the impact, weather observations indicated the presence of strato-cumulus clouds at an altitude of 600 meters and fracto-cumulus clouds at 300 meters. Visibility was limited to 5 kilometers. The loss of orientation by the crew in these conditions led to the significant deviation from the intended route, ultimately resulting in the controlled flight into terrain.