On November 20, 1929, a Savoia-Marchetti S.55 (registration I-TACO) operated by Società Aerea Mediterranea - SAM was involved in an aviation accident near Olbia, Italy during landing or approach. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot misjudged the height above the water due to an optical illusion caused by calm sea conditions and low light density, resulting in a hard impact with the surface. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A seaplane overturned after a hard impact with calm waters near Olbia, resulting in one fatality and eleven injuries among the occupants.
What happened
During an approach to land in the harbor of Olbia, the seaplane encountered very calm sea conditions. The aircraft struck the water surface with significant force, causing it to overturn immediately. It came to rest upside down in the area off Terranova Pausania. As a result of the impact, one passenger was killed and eleven other occupants sustained injuries. The structural damage rendered the airframe beyond repair.
Findings
The official investigation determined that the accident resulted from a misjudgment of altitude by the pilot-in-command. This error was attributed to an optical illusion created by the combination of the flat, calm water surface and low light density. These conditions made it difficult for the crew to accurately assess the distance between the aircraft and the water, leading to the hard landing.
Probable cause
The pilot misjudged the height above the water due to an optical illusion caused by calm sea conditions and low light density, resulting in a hard impact with the surface.
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