Incident Overview
An aircraft operating a flight from Rome to Foggia encountered severe conditions while cruising at 15,000 feet in marginal weather. The airplane lost 1,200 feet of altitude and its speed dropped by 30 knots. Subsequently, the aircraft nosed down to a 20° angle and crashed at a speed of 340 knots in an open field near Frosinone, approximately 75 kilometers southeast of Rome.
Damage and Occupants
The impact forces totally destroyed the aircraft. All 18 occupants on board were killed.
Crew Information
The flight crew consisted of Paolo Lombardino as pilot, Vittorio Pedemonte as copilot, and Clemente Basile as flight engineer.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was flying in a thunderstorm area.
Probable Cause
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, based on the flight recorder analysis, it is believed that the loss of control was caused by severe atmospheric turbulences associated with thunderstorm activity.