Milan-Malpensa

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Schedule:

Stansted - Milan - Seoul

MSN:

22480

YOM:

1980

Flight number:

KE8509

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

13490

Captain / Total hours on type:

8495.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1406

Copilot / Total hours on type:

195

Aircraft flight hours:

83011

Aircraft flight cycles:

15451

Circumstances:

Boeing 747 HL-7451 arrived at Stansted at 15:05 after a flight from Tashkent. Prior to leaving the aircraft, the flight engineer made an entry in the Technical Log stating "Captain's ADI [Attitude Director Indicator] unreliable in roll' he also verbally passed the details to the operator's ground engineer who met the aircraft on arrival. During turnover repair works on the ADI were carried out. Some cargo was offloaded and other cargo loaded for the flight to Milan-Malpensa (takeoff weight was 548,352 lb including 68,300 lb of fuel) and a new crew boarded the aircraft. After a delay of an hour, because ATC had not received the flight plan, Flight 8509 was cleared to depart Stand Alpha 6 and taxi to runway 23 holding point at 18:25. Subsequently, at 18:36 KAL 8509 was cleared to takeoff with a reported surface wind of 190deg/18 kt. The Dover 6R Standard Instrument Departure called for a climb ahead to 1.5 miles DME, then a left turn onto the 158 inbound radial to the Detling VOR. Climbing through 900 feet, the ADI 'Comparator' buzzer sounded three times. Shortly afterwards, the warning sounded a further two times, coincident with the captain expressing concerns over his DME indication. Climbing through 1400 feet, ATC instructed the crew to contact 'London Control'. And as the captain initiated the procedure turn to the left, the 'Comparator' warning sounded again some 9 times. The maximum altitude reached was 2,532 feet amsl. The aircraft then banked left progressively and entered a descent until it struck the ground in a approx. 40deg nose down pitch and 90deg bank to the left; the speed was high in the region of 250 to 300 kt.

Probable cause:

The following causal factors were identified:
- The pilots did not respond appropriately to the comparator warnings during the climb after takeoff from Stansted despite prompts from the flight engineer,
- The commander, as the handling pilot, maintained a left roll control input, rolling the aircraft to approximately 90° of left bank and there was no control input to correct the pitch attitude throughout the turn,
- The first officer either did not monitor the aircraft attitude during the climbing turn or, having done so, did not alert the commander to the extreme unsafe attitude that developed,
- The maintenance activity at Stansted was misdirected, despite the fault having been correctly reported using the Fault Reporting Manual. Consequently the aircraft was presented for service with the same fault experienced on the previous sector; the No 1 INU roll signal driving the captain's ADI was erroneous,
- The agreement for local engineering support of the Operator's engineering personnel, was unclear on the division of responsibility, resulting in erroneous defect identification, and misdirected maintenance action.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Campo dei Fiori: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1995 at 0845 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Registration:

F-GNFL

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Milan - Locarno

MSN:

31-7400986

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after his departure from Milan-Malpensa Airport bound for Locarno, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility due to a cloud layer. The twin engine aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located at the altitude of 1,227 meters, on the Campo dei Fiori, on the top of Punta Paradiso, near the astronomic observatory. The pilot and the passenger were killed.
Pilot:
Cesare Gallone.
Passenger:
Yvonne Aliette Roulet.
Sincere thanks to Isaia Laudi for these information.

Ground accident of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle III in Milan

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1983

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

F-BHRS

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Milan - London

MSN:

YOM:

1960

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Milan-Malpensa Airport runway 17R, at a speed of 75-80 knots, the right engine failed, exploded and caught fire. The captain abandoned the takeoff procedure, initiated an emergency braking maneuver and vacated runway via intersection 8 before stopping the aircraft by the fire brigade building. All 89 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The uncontained failure of the right engine during takeoff roll was the consequence of the disintegration of the 14th stage of the high pressure compressor.

Ground accident of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Milan

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1979

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

MM62000

Flight Phase:

Parking

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

MSN:

4497

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Technicians were engaged in ground tests at Malpensa Airport. While parked on the ramp, an engine run-up was initiated when the airplane jumped over the chocks and eventually struck obstacles and came to rest. There were no injuries.

Crash of a Boeing 707-331B in Milan

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1975 at 1029 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Registration:

N18701

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

San Francisco – New York – Milan

MSN:

18978/465

YOM:

1966

Flight number:

TW842

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

113

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

25303

Captain / Total hours on type:

7316.00

Circumstances:

The approach to Milan-Malpensa Airport was completed in limited visibility due to foggy conditions. During the last segment, the airplane struck the ground to the left of the main runway. On impact, all landing gears and all four engines were torn off. The aircraft slid for few hundred meters then came to rest in a grassy area with the fuselage bent and the cockpit that separated from the rest of the aircraft. All 122 occupants were evacuated, 26 of them were injured, among them the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

Probable cause:

Failure of the pilot-in-command to follow the approved procedures.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-43 in Milan: 13 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1968 at 1406 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-8

Operator:

Registration:

I-DIWF

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Landing (descent or approach)

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Rome - Milan - Montreal

MSN:

45630

YOM:

1962

Flight number:

AZ660

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Flight AZ660 to Montreal, Canada departed Rome-Fiumicino Airport, Italy at 13:15. An intermediate stop was planned at Milan-Malpensa Airport. The airplane climbed in VMC to the en route altitude of FL220. The en route part of the flight was uneventful. While descending to the south of the airport, preparing for an approach to runway 35, the aircraft entered IMC with heavy turbulence due to the presence of a thunderstorm in the area. About 13:59 the flight was cleared from 9,000 feet down to 4,000 feet for a straight-in approach. Three minutes later the pilot advised that he would make a 360° turn over the beacon as the aircraft was at 6,000 feet. On completion of the turn, at an altitude of 1,500 feet, the flight continued on runway heading and descending. At 14:06 the flight crew became unsure of their position and almost immediately the airplane struck a wooded hillside 11,5 km north of Milan runway 35. 13 passengers were killed while 22 others were injured. 60 people were uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

Insufficient checking of flight times during the final portion of the approach; Positioning for final approach by means of a non standard procedure; Delayed detection of the VOR radial or wrong selection of such radial; Broken view of terrain north of the airport similar to that south of the airport.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B in Milan: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1966 at 0304 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Registration:

OO-ABG

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Lockheed L-1649 Starliner

Schedule:

Brusssels - Milan

MSN:

43829/351

YOM:

1953

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6770

Captain / Total hours on type:

1619.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

6958

Copilot / Total hours on type:

Circumstances:

The aircraft had taken off from Brussels at 0010 hours GMT on 18 February 1966 on a cargo flight to Milan-Malpensa, Italy, to transport 214 calves. The flight was routine until the aircraft arrived over the Saronno VOR/NDB at 0148 hours. It was then cleared by Milan ACC to fly directly to the Malpensa radio beacon with a 6 000 ft "clearance limit" and to contact Malpensa APP directly. The aircraft was duly transferred to this latter unit at 0150 hours. At 0153 hours the aircraft was over NDB Malpensa at 6 000 feet and was cleared by Malpensa APP to carry out a STANDARD/ILS (SIA) approach procedure to runway 35R. The aircraft was also provided with complete meteorological data for Malpensa Airport; runway visibility was given as 250 m. The aircraft left the 6 000 ft level at 0153:20 hours outbound on track 1550 as specified in AIP/ITALY MAP/050/1. At 0157:33 hours the pilot reported on approach inbound (352°) at 4 000 feet. At 0159:49 hours the Malpensa airport PAR controller provided the pilot with the current parameters: distance 7 NM/on track/ on the glide path. At 0200:44 hours the pilot reported 2 000 ft at the outer marker. It was cleared by Malpensa APP to land on runway 35R and instructed to report runway in sight. The ground/air/ground communications log indicates that the approach procedure was being carried out correctly and at 0202:50 hours the radar controller informed the pilot that he was over the approach end of the runway. This was the last contact between the aircraft and the control services. The aircraft had actually carried out a night-time final approach phase procedure in extremely critical visibility conditions because of fog, and in such conditions it had crossed the threshold of runway 35R deviating about 8° to the right in relation to the runway centre line; it then continued alongside the runway for about 2 400 m and struck the top of a group of trees beyond which it crashed to the ground approximately 3 000 m from the runway threshold and 435 m from its centre line. The aircraft caught fire following fuel spillage after impact with the ground. All the occupants were killed and the cargo was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The Commission attributed the accident to the following causes:
(1) Failure of the pilot to comply with the Company's "minima";
(2) Subsequent belated decision to execute the missed approach procedure.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed L-1649 Starliner near Milan: 68 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1959 at 1735 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N7313C

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Athens – Rome – Milan – Paris – Shannon – Gander – Chicago

MSN:

1015

YOM:

1957

Flight number:

TW891

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

25514

Captain / Total hours on type:

682.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

12150

Copilot / Total hours on type:

Aircraft flight hours:

6671

Circumstances:

About fifteen minutes after it departed Milan-Malpensa Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity. It is believed the airplane was hit by lightning when the right wing broke off shortly later. Out of control, the airplane entered a dive and eventually crashed in a field located 32 km northwest of Milan. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 68 occupants have been killed.
More info on https://www.olgiateolona26giugno1959.org/cra_e.html

Probable cause:

The breaking-up in flight was due to the explosion of the fuel vapours contained in tank No.7, followed immediately by either an explosion of pressure or a further explosion in tank no.6. In the absence of other significant concrete evidence, taking into account the stormy weather conditions, with frequent electric discharges, existing in the area at the time of the crash, it may be assumed that the explosion of the fuel vapours contained in tank No.7 was set off, through the outlet pipes, by igniting of the gasoline vapours issuing from these pipes as a consequence of static electricity discharges (streamer corona) which developed on the vent outlets.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47-Dl on Mt Giner: 21 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1956 at 1820 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

I-LINC

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type: