Status:
Date:	22 OCT 1958
Time:	11:50
Type:	Vickers 701C Viscount
Operator:	British European Airways - BEA
Registration:	G-ANHC
C/n / msn:	63
First flight:	1954
Crew:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:	Fatalities: 26 / Occupants: 26
Total:	Fatalities: 31 / Occupants: 31
Airplane damage:	Written off
Airplane fate:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	Anzio (Italy)
Phase:	En route (ENR)
Nature:	International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:	London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL), United Kingdom
Destination airport:	Napoli Airport (NAP/LIRN), Italy
Flightnumber:	142

Narrative:
BEA Flight 142 was en route from London to Naples flying on Airway Amber 1, reporting over Ostia at 23500 feet at 11:44. The flight reported continuing to Ponza, estimating arrival over this NDB at 11:57. At 10:45 a formation of 4 Italian Air Force North American F-86E Sabres had taken off from Pratica di Mare Airport on a group tactial training exercise in the Pratica CTR (West of Amber 1 airway) which was prohibited for civil aircraft. The formation was 5km E of Anzio on a 310deg heading carrying out a reverse attack manoeuvre consisting of an initial dive, followed by a climb turn to the right and a steep dive with final recovery to level flight. During the steep dive that followed the climbing turn, the leading aircraft collided with the Viscount. Both aircraft crashed, but the F-86 pilot was able to eject.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was attributed to "an Act of God" - since neither of the pilots saw the other aircraft before they collided.
A contributory cause of the accident was deviation of the Viscount from the airway which placed it in a prohibited area reserved for military activities."

Events:

Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 59-AN/54 (215-227)