What happened
On the scheduled flight from Rome-Fiumicino Airport to Montreal, Canada, an aircraft stopped at Milan-Malpensa Airport for an intermediate leg. The flight initially proceeded under visual meteorological conditions after departing Italy, reaching its assigned altitude of FL220 without incident. During the descent toward runway 35, the aircraft encountered instrument meteorological conditions characterized by heavy turbulence caused by a nearby thunderstorm.
As the crew prepared for a straight-in approach, they were cleared from 9,000 feet to 4,000 feet at approximately 13:59. During the descent, the pilot requested a 360-degree turn over the beacon while maintaining an altitude of 6,000 feet. Following this maneuver, the plane continued its descent on the runway heading. At 14:06, the crew lost certainty regarding their exact position. Shortly thereafter, the plane collided with a wooded hillside located roughly 11.5 km north of the Milan runway. The impact and subsequent fire resulted in 13 fatalities and 22 injuries, though 60 individuals on board escaped without harm. The aircraft was completely destroyed.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing factors related to the approach procedure. The crew failed to adequately verify flight times during the final stages of the descent and utilized a non-standard method for positioning the aircraft for its final approach. Additionally, there was a failure to correctly identify or select the proper VOR radial. The terrain north of the airport, which presented a hazard, was noted to have visibility characteristics similar to the area south of the airport.