3 fatalities

Delivery Flight Crash Near Pokljuka, Slovenia

Pokljuka, SloveniaFlight

On April 18, 1938, a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero operated by Romanian Air Force - Fortele Aeriene Române was involved in an aviation accident near Pokljuka, Slovenia in flight. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Controlled flight into terrain during cruise in heavy snowfall. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A three-crew delivery aircraft crashed into a mountain slope near Pokljuka, Slovenia, during heavy snowfall, resulting in the deaths of all occupants on board.

What happened

The aircraft departed from Vergiate Airport, located north of Milan, Italy, on a delivery mission bound for Romania. The flight carried three crew members. While cruising over Slovenian airspace, the team encountered deteriorating weather conditions characterized by heavy snowfall. During this period, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain situated near Pokljuka, in northern Slovenia. All three occupants were killed in the accident.

Findings

The official investigation determined that the crash resulted from a controlled flight into terrain. The incident occurred while the aircraft was in the cruise phase and operating in conditions of heavy snowfall.

Probable cause

Controlled flight into terrain during cruise in heavy snowfall