What happened
Approximately fifteen minutes after departing from Milan-Malpensa Airport, the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 10,000 feet when it encountered severe weather characterized by thunderstorms. During this period of intense meteorological activity, the right wing of the plane detached, causing the aircraft to lose control. The plane entered a steep dive and impacted a field located roughly 32 km northwest of Milan. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe and 68 fatalities, with no survivors reported.
Findings
Investigations into the structural failure determined that the disintegration of the aircraft was caused by an explosion of fuel vapors within tank No.7. This event was followed closely by either a pressure-related explosion or a secondary blast in tank No.6. While the exact sequence is attributed to the volatile environment, investigators concluded that static electricity discharges from the surrounding storm likely ignited gasoline vapors escaping through the vent outlets, triggering the initial explosion in the fuel tank.