Date & Time:
Aug 7, 1935 at 0532 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.81
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Guidonia – Cairo – Massawa – Asmara
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
3
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane departed Cairo-Almaza Airport at 0520LT bound for Massawa. Eleven minutes later, while climbing, the radio operator reported that all was ok on board. About a minute later, an explosion occurred on board and the airplane crashed 8 km south of the airport, bursting into flames. All seven occupants were killed and the aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. The crew and passengers were on their way to Massawa and Asmara to conduct an inspection of the public works under construction by the Italian expeditionary forces along the frontier of Ethiopia. Among the passengers was Luigi Razza, Italian Ministry of Public Works, and the Italian explorer Raimondo Franchetti as well as Vincenzo Minasi, Italian consul.
Crew:
Maj Raffaello Boetani, pilot,
2nd Lt Giovanni Lavaggi,
Sgt Maj Edmondo Pirola,
Marshall Vittorio Viotti.
Passengers:
Luigi Razza,
Raimondo Franchetti,
Vincenzo Minasi.
Crew:
Maj Raffaello Boetani, pilot,
2nd Lt Giovanni Lavaggi,
Sgt Maj Edmondo Pirola,
Marshall Vittorio Viotti.
Passengers:
Luigi Razza,
Raimondo Franchetti,
Vincenzo Minasi.
Probable cause:
On board explosion for undetermined reason.
