Rome-Ciampino

On final approach to Rome-Ciampino Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions. While descending through clouds at an altitude of 6,500 feet, the crew informed ground about fire on right engine. It is believed that both right engines were on fire at this time. The pilot-in-command reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing when, at a height of 650 feet, the airplane plunged into the earth and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located about six km east of Ciampino Airfield. The four engine aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 16 occupants have been killed. A crater was seen at the point of impact and debris were scattered on a wide area.

About twenty minutes after its takeoff from Rome-Ciampino Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 27,000 feet between the islands of Elbe and Montecristo, the airplane suffered a brutal decompression, disappeared from radar screens and crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea. Some debris were found floating about 16 km south of Elbe Island and the main wreckage sank by a depth of 600 meters. All 35 occupants were killed. About 70% of the debris were recovered and the airplane was rebuilt in UK for investigations. As there were suspicions of technical issues, BOAC, Air France and SAA decided to suspend all Comet flights. After fifty modifications and improvements, the airplane started to fly again two months later. It was eventually discovered that the airplane suffered a structural failure and exploded in flight.

Few minutes after its takeoff from Cagliari-Elmas Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed on the Mt Sinnai located 15 km northwest of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 19 occupants were killed.

The aircraft was operating a scheduled passenger service from London to Johannesburg. The flight from London Airport to Rome was without incident. During the take-off from Rome on the second stage, the aircraft's normal speed failed to build up and after becoming airborne for a few seconds, the Captain's immediate reaction was that there was a lack of engine thrust. He throttled back the engines at the same time as the aircraft came to rest near the airport boundary, and the aircraft sustained considerable damage and two passengers were slightly injured. For take-off the aircraft was taxied to Runway 16 and lined up on the centre line; all pre-take-off checks were made and the elevator, aileron and rudder trim were set at the neutral position. The Captain's estimation of runway visibility was 5 miles but with no horizon. The flaps were lowered to 15" and the windscreen wipers were both operating. The engines were opened up to full power and the isolation switches were set to "Isolate'. The RPM were checked at 10 250 on all engines; fuel flows, engine temperatures and pressures were reported to be correct. The brakes were released and the aircraft made a normal acceleration. At an IAS of 75-80 knots, the nose wheel was lifted from the runway and a slight tendency to swing to starboard was corrected. At an IAS of 112 knots, the Captain lifted the aircraft from the ground by a positive backward movement of the control column and when he considered that the aircraft had reached a safe height he called for "undercarriage up". At about the same instant the port wing dropped rather violently and the aircraft swung to port; the controls gave normal response and lateral level was regained. At this point the Captain realized that the aircraft's speed was not building up, although he made no reference to the ASI. A pronounced buffeting was felt which he associated with the onset of a stall and in spite of two corrective movements of the control column the buffeting continued. Before the First Officer had time to select undercarriage up, the aircraft came down on its main landing wheels and bounced. It was now plainly evident to the Captain that the aircraft's speed was not increasing and he was convinced that there was a considerable loss of engine thrust. He was also aware that the aircraft was rapidly approaching the end of the runway and a decision to abandon the take-off was made. The undercarriage struck a mound of earth as he was closing the throttles and the aircraft slid for some 270 yards over rough ground. The main undercarriages were wrenched off and considerable damage resulted; a large spillage of fuel occurred but fire did not break out. One passenger suffered slight shock and another sustained a cut finger.

The aircraft left Udine-Campoformido Airport at 1220LT on a one hour flight to Rome-Ciampino. While approaching the capital city from the sea, the airplane apparently suffered a loss of power and crashed into the sea off Fiumicino. Five crew members were rescued while seven others were killed. The aircraft broke in two while contacting water and sank. It is reported from another source that the accident occurred shortly after takeoff from Athens-Hellenikon Airport.

The four engine aircraft christened 'Star of Maryland' left Cairo-Faruk Airport at 0135LT and was cleared to climb to 14,000 feet. While flying to the northwest at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the engine number three caught fire. The propeller was feathered but the crew was unable to extinguish the fire. the Cairo control tower received a routine position report at 23:55Z "off Cairo 2335 25 miles out of Cairo at 2343 estimated time of arrival Rome 0530" which was acknowledged but the flight did not reply with the customary "Roger". No other message was received from the flight despite frequent attempts to contact it by several stations. At or about the time of the receipt of the above message a number of persons on the desert to the northwest of Cairo saw the aircraft afire in flight. The aircraft turned back as if intending to land at Cairo, but the fire rapidly increased, causing the burning engine to fall free. The crew attempted a night emergency landing in a desert area located about 100 km northwest of Cairo. The aircraft crashed and disintegrated on impact. All 55 occupants were killed, among them tourists, engineers and US diplomats.

En route from Croydon to Rome, the aircraft disappeared into the Tyrrhenian Sea and the crew was unable to send any distress call. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted. After few hours, Italian Authorities sent an official request to France and Switzerland to ask if the aircraft may have crash on their territory but no trace of the aircraft was found. All operations were suspended after few days. On November 13, 1948, few debris were found floating on the sea few km off Elbe Island. No trace of the eight occupants was found.

The aircraft was completing a flight from Cairo, Egypt, to Rome, with an intermediate stop at Tatoi AFB in Greece. For unknown reason, the aircraft went out of control upon landing in Ciampino Airport and came to rest. All seven occupants were rescued, three of them were seriously injured including both pilots.

The crew was performing a positioning flight from Rome-Ciampino to the Guidonia Airbase. The aircraft crashed on landing for unknown reason. The aircraft was wrecked and all four crew members were injured, among them Lt Col Amadeo Paradisi, pilot.