Country
Italy

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero off Aden: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Aden
'Adan (عدن)
Country:
Yemen
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While on a combat mission, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Aden. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Ennio Grandi, poilot,
Gastone Ceciliot, pilot,
2nd Lt Italo Gherardini,
Sgt/M Romolo Petrucci,
Ottavio Coronati.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero in Benghazi

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
Operator:
Registration:
MM60399
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Benghazi - Gondar
MSN:
19052
Location:
Benghazi-Benina
Benghazi (بنغازي)
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
At Benghazi Airport, the pilot aborted the takeoff procedure for unknown reasons. The airplane lost its undercarriage and came to rest. There were no injuries.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero in Torri ta' Triq il-Wiesgħa

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1940 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Torri ta' Triq il-Wiesgħa
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all four crew members.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero near Tobruk: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1940 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
Operator:
Registration:
I-MANU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
El Feteyat - Tobruk
MSN:
32040
YOM:
1940
Location:
Tobruk
Butnan (البطنان)
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft departed El Feteyat Airfield at 1700LT bound for Tobruk. Half way down, the crew informed ground he was about 160 km east of his departure point. While approaching Tobruk, the aircraft was hit by ground fire, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in some 60 km west of Tobruk, bursting into flames. All nine occupants were killed, among them the Italian Minister of Aviation Italo Balbo.
Crew:
Marechal Italo Balbo, Pilot,
Maj Ottavio Frailich, copilot,
Cpt Gino Cappannini, flight engineer,
Sgt-Major Giuseppe Berti, radio navigator,
Enrico Caretti,
Lino Balbo,
Claudio Brunelli,
Nello Quilici,
Cino Florio.
Probable cause:
One day after the crash, the Italian Government announced officially that the airplane had been accidentally shot down by the Italian navy ship named 'San Giorgio' mooring off the Libyan coast. The airplane was obviously misidentified.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero near Pokljuka: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Pokljuka
Upper Carniola (Gorenjska)
Country:
Slovenia
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Vergiate Airport, north of Milan, on a delivery flight to Romania, carrying three crew members. While cruising over Slovenia, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy snow falls. The airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near Pokljuka, north of Slovenia. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Adriano Bacula,
Lt Luigi Morizzi,
Cpt Dimitriescu.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain while cruising in heavy snow falls.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 in Catalonia: 17 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
Operator:
Registration:
MM28-16
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Spain
All Spain
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
17
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft was performing a mission on behalf of the Spanish Air Forces. While cruising over Catalonia, a bomb detonated in the bomb bay and the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion. All 17 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Bomb explosion in flight.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 in Catalonia: 17 killed

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
Operator:
Registration:
MM28-25
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Spain
All Spain
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
17
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft was performing a bombing mission on behalf of the Spanish Air Force. While cruising over Catalonia, the aircraft collided with another SM.79 that was hit by Flak. It entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a huge explosion. All 17 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following an in-flight collision after the second aircraft has been shot down by antiaircraft fire.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero in Travesio: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Travesio
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions, the three engine airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near Travesio. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Umberto Rovis, pilot,
Sgt/M Giovanni Miragoli, pilot,
Sgt Mario Baggio, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
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