What happened
On a scheduled flight from Alghero Airport to Cagliari-Elmas Airport, an DC-9 was conducting its descent toward the destination. The aircraft, carrying 27 passengers and a crew of four, encountered weather challenges including thunderstorms and rain near the airport. During the descent, the crew requested a 360-degree turn to avoid a formation of Cumulonimbus clouds. While the controller approved the maneuver, the aircraft failed to complete the full turn as intended, resulting in an unplanned heading.
As the flight descended through various altitudes, the crew's situational awareness regarding their exact position became compromised. Although the first officer correctly identified that they were over the mountainous region of southern Sardinia, the captain believed the aircraft was positioned further south over the sea. During this period, the crew also noted that the ILS system at the destination was non-operational.
While descending through 2,000 feet, the lower portion of the fuselage struck the rocky terrain of Conca d'Oru, approximately 18 km southwest of the airport. The impact caused the aircraft to break apart and ignited a fire. There were 31 fatalities and no survivors.
Findings
The accident was driven by a controlled flight into terrain resulting from an incorrect approach configuration and the crew's misinterpretation of air traffic control instructions.