Rome-Ciampino

Shortly after takeoff from Rome-Ciampino Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a car demolition, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post impact fire as well as more than 30 cars. Both crew were killed.

The crew was engaged in a positioning flight from Rome to Bologna to pick up a medical team for an ambulance mission. At 0554LT, the crew was cleared for takeoff. The aircraft departed Rome-Ciampino Airport runway 15 at 0600LT. During initial climb, after being cleared to Bolsena at FL240, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near a cattle barn. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and both pilots were killed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were as follow: wind from 140 at 18 knots, light rain, few at 1,800 feet, broken 3,000 feet and scattered at 7,000 feet with an OAT of 13° C.

The aircraft was on its way from Athens-Elefterios Venizelos Airport to Rome with 3 passengers and 3 crew members on board. While at cruising level over the Adriatic Sea, the crew informed ATC about burn smell on board (possible smoke), declared an emergency and elected to divert to Brindisi-Papola Casale Airport. Upon arrival at Brindisi, weather conditions were poor with rain showers and strong crosswinds. In the meantime, the runway 14/32 (3,330 meters long) was closed to traffic due to works in progress. After landing on runway 23, the aircraft skidded, veered off runway and lost its right main gear before coming to rest. Three occupants were evacuated to local hospital with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair due to severe damages to the right wing and the right part of the fuselage. Brand new, it was delivered this year and completed 100 flying hours only.

The airplane departed Hahn Airport at 0630LT on a flight to Rome-Ciampino Airport, carrying 14 passengers and a crew of 8. The first officer was the Pilot Flying on the leg whilst the captain was the Pilot Monitoring. The flight was uneventful until the approach phase at the destination airport. The aircraft established the first radio contact with Ciampino Tower, communicating that it was 9 NM from the runway and stabilised on the ILS for runway 15. The aircraft, authorized and configured for the approach, was proceeding for landing, when, at a height of 136 ft and a distance of about 300 m from the runway, the captain noticed birds on the flight trajectory. He stated "Ahi", repeated in rapid sequence. At a distance of about 100 m from the runway, the TO/GA pushbutton was activated. The first officer acknowledged: "Go around, flaps 15", setting the go around attitude. At the same time as the TO/GA was activated, the aircraft collided with a thick flock of some 90 starlings. A loud bang was heard and both engines stalled. The aircraft climbed to 173 feet and then continued to lose height, despite the nose-up command. There was a progressive speed reduction and an increase of the angle of attack until the activation of the stick shaker, which was recorded at 21 feet. The aircraft hit the ground in aerodynamic stall conditions, near taxiway AC, about half way along the total length of the runway at a vertical acceleration of 2.66g. First contact with the runway occurred with the main landing gear properly extended and with the lower part of the fuselage tail section. The left main landing gear detached from its attachment during the landing run and the lower part of the left engine nacelle came into contact with the runway. The aircraft stopped near the threshold of runway 33. The fire brigade sprayed extinguishing foam around the area where the engine nacelle had come into contact with the runway. The captain then arranged for the disembarkation of the passengers and crew using a ladder truck from the right front door, with the addition of the right rear slide, later activated and used.

After landing on runway 15 (2,207 metres long) at Rome-Ciampino Airport, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, collided with the localizer antenna and came to rest. While the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair, all five occupants escaped uninjured. It was raining at the time of the accident and the runway was wet.

The crew departed Rome-Ciampino Airport in the afternoon on a fire fighting mission in Forte dei Marmi, north of Pisa. Following two successful missions, the crew was attacking the fire in hilly terrain and low altitude when the aircraft collided with power cables. A fire erupted on the right side of the aircraft and the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed in a residential area. Both pilots were killed while there were no injuries on the ground.

The aircraft departed Rome-Ciampino Airport on an ambulance flight to Cagliari, carrying three pilots, three doctors and a cooler containing a heart for a patient. The descent to Cagliari-Elmas Airport was initiated by night under VFR mode. After the crew was cleared to descend to 2,500 feet, ATC reported runway 32 in use and asked the crew to report on short final. About two minutes later, at an altitude of 3,333 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Su Baccu Malu located 32 km northeast of Cagliari Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and all six occupants were killed.

During an inspection of the right engine a technician found chips in the oil filter. The damage should have been repaired within the next 20 flight hours. Since the maintenance organization in Switzerland, who usually carry out necessary repairs, did not have the spare parts available on time, the task was assigned to an organization in Nuernberg. On 07.02.2001, the airplane was ferried to Nuernberg and repaired in the presence of the chief technician of the operator. The repairs and the replacement of the parts exclusively on the right engine were certified properly. The return flight to Rome was planned for the 8th of February 2001 at about 1530 o’clock. A charter flight from Rome was to be carried out on the following day. Two pilots and the chief technician of the operator were aboard the aircraft. The flight preparation was carried out by phone from the repair facility. A weather briefing and the NOTAM´s for the flight were obtained properly. The check lists for the take-off were read. During the preparation the unbalanced fuel distribution between the right and left-hand tanks, and the fact that the total amount yet was equal on both sides was discussed. Immediately afterwards the second pilot noticed the failure of his gyro instruments. The airplane was taxied via the taxiways "Juliet" and "Foxtrot" to runway 10. Pilot at the controls was the pilot in command while the second pilot carried out the radio communications with the air traffic control. The pilots received the clearance for a departure via the departure route Noerdlingen (NDG 1 M) to Rome. The take-off was at 1531 o'clock. After 5 nautical miles the airplane turned to the south, following the departure route. At 15:33:49 o'clock the left-hand engine failed without a previous warning. The noise of a down running engine was also heard by several witnesses on the ground. Smoke or a fire was not seen by them. The second pilot reported an emergency with the left-hand engine shortly after the occurrence to the control tower and informed them that they wanted to return for a landing on the runway 10. At that time there were visual meteorological conditions, and the runway was continuously to be seen. Since the departure control Nuernber APP wished to coordinate the flight, the frequency was changed for a short time upon request. After the second pilot had declared the emergency once again they switched back to the tower again and continued the approach to runway 10. Up to the final approach the flight was without particular occurrences. The flaps were first set to 8° and later on to 20°, afterwards the landing gear was extended. At this time the airplane was somewhat north of the extended centerline slightly above the glide path for an instrument approach. Approximately one kilometer in front of the runway, when flying over the main road no. 4 near the small town of Buch, the airplane was observed by different witnesses as it made unusual flight maneuvers. The airplane deviated then from the landing direction to the north, and made some reeling movements. Afterwards it seemed for a short
period that the pilot intended to turn right to reach the runway. Immediately afterwards and near the ground the airplane abruptly stalled to the left approximately maintaining its height, then assuming a bank angle of more than 90°, and crashed nearly upside down at 1540 o’clock into a forest north of the runway. The airport fire service, who were in a standby position due to the announced safety landing of the Learjet reached the accident site approximately 4 minutes later and started to extinguish the fire. All three occupants had lost their lives during the impact. The airplane was destroyed.

Arriving from Rome, the aircraft chartered by the World Food Program was going to land at Pristina. The meteorological conditions at the aerodrome corresponded to visibility of 4,000 metres with a layer of compact clouds at 3,000 feet. In radar and radio contact with the military air traffic control organisation for an ILS approach, the aircraft, which was outbound to the north at an altitude of 4,600 feet, entered a sector where the minimum safety altitude is 6,900 feet and struck a mountain whose peak is at 4,650 while turning to return towards the airport. The wreckage was found about 15 metres below the summit, some 18 km northeast of Kosovska Mitrovica and 42 km north of Pristina Airport. All 24 occupants were killed.

During the takeoff roll on runway 21, just before reaching V1 (112 knots), the captain thought that the right engine lost power. He decided to abandon the takeoff maneuver and initiated an emergency braking procedure. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran at a speed of about 60-70 knots, rolled in a snow covered field and eventually collided with an embankment, coming to rest, broken in two. Both pilots were injured.