What happened
A cargo flight operating from Algiers-Houari Boumédiène Airport to Frankfurt was en route over northern Italy when a critical malfunction occurred. While the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 25,000 feet, the co-pilot notified air traffic control that the autopilot system had failed. Shortly after this notification, the aircraft began an uncontrolled descent. During this period, the crew experienced an overspeed alarm within the cockpit.
The aircraft entered a steep nose-down attitude, estimated between 45 and 50 degrees, reaching speeds of approximately 850 to 900 km/h. The four-engine aircraft eventually struck an open field located to the southwest of Piacenza. The force of the impact caused the airframe to disintegrate completely, leaving a large crater at the crash site and a debris field extending up to 800 meters from the point of impact. There were three fatalities among the crew members on board.
Findings
The descent was characterized by a significant loss of control and a rapid increase in airspeed, triggered by the failure of the automatic pilot system.