What happened
On a flight departing from Rome-Ciampino Airport destined for Manston, Kent, with an intended stop at Lyon-Bron Airport, an aircraft struck a mountain slope in the Italian Alps. The incident occurred at approximately 17:50 local time while the plane was cruising at 8,500 feet. During the flight, the crew encountered adverse weather conditions.
Following the failure of the aircraft to reach its intermediate destination in Lyon, search and rescue operations were initiated. The wreckage was not located until one week later in a remote area situated roughly 12 km west of Limone Piemonte, positioned east of the Argentera Mountain Range. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and caused 21 fatalities, with no survivors.
Findings
Investigations into the accident revealed that the crew did not adhere to proper flight preparation procedures. A significant discrepancy was identified in the flight plan, which listed a cruising altitude of 8,200 feet; this elevation was insufficient for safely traversing the Alpine terrain.
Additionally, the aircraft's heading deviated by 13 degrees from the intended path. It is suspected that the crew may have misidentified the Bastia and Poretta beacons due to their close proximity. Environmental factors also played a role, as strong southwest winds of 45 knots likely pushed the plane away from its planned trajectory.