What happened
During a flight at an altitude of approximately 1,040 meters, a twin engine aircraft struck the northern slope of Mt La Cinta. The incident occurred roughly 65 km south of Palermo while the plane was cruising through marginal weather conditions. Following the impact, the wreckage was located by rescue teams three days after the event. The collision resulted in 31 fatalities, with no survivors reported among the occupants.
The force of the crash was significant enough to destroy the aircraft upon impact. Search efforts identified debris, including a wing and one engine, situated approximately 800 meters away from the primary wreckage site.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the primary cause was pilot imprudence, specifically regarding the failure to maintain an adequate safety altitude while flying over Sicily, especially given the presence of thunderstorms in the area. Additionally, the pilot's lack of awareness concerning actual wind conditions caused the flight path to drift 3° away from the intended track.
Regarding air traffic services, the investigation concluded that the direction-finding stations in Rome and Cagliari performed their duties with appropriate care. Furthermore, it was noted that stations in Milan and Venice provided additional bearing information without being specifically requested to do so.