Criminal Occurrence description
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| Status: | |
| Date: | 27 JUN 1980 |
| Time: | 20:59 |
| Type: | Douglas DC-9-15 |
| Operator: | Itavia |
| Registration: | I-TIGI |
| C/n / msn: | 45724/22 |
| First flight: | 1966 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 29544 |
| Cycles: | 45032 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 77 / Occupants: 77 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 81 / Occupants: 81 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 25 km (15.6 mls) NE off Ustica, Italy [Tyrrhenian Sea] (Atlantic Ocean)
 |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Bologna-Borgo Panigale Airport (BLQ/LIPE), Italy |
| Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport (PMO/LICJ), Italy | |
| Flightnumber: | 870 |
Itavia flight 870 departed Bologna (BLQ) at 20:08 on a domestic flight to Palermo (PMO). The DC-9 was en route over the Tyrrhenian Sea at an altitude of about 24000 feet when an explosion occurred. Extensive structural damage caused the plane to break up. Most of the wreckage sank to a depth of some 3500 metres.
The cause of the accident has never been officialy established. In the years following the accident many theories were suggested. Some theories centered around the fact that the DC-9 may have accidently been shot down by NATO fighters. Either during an exercise involving Italian, U.S., and French jet fighters, or during a dog fight involving Libyan, U.S., French and Italian Air Force fighters in the area.
It has also been suggested that explosive device detonated in the rear (starboard) toilet.
Events:
Sources:
» Flight International 03.01.1981 (4)
» ICAO Adrep 4/89 (#31)
» Lessons from the Ustica investigations / A. Frank Taylor, Cranfield University
» Analysis of radar data, suggesting side-lobe tracks instead of unidentified planes (in Italian, starting page 5)
» Lessons from the Ustica investigations / A. Frank Taylor, Cranfield University (illustrated version)
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com
Statistics
11th loss of a DC-9-10
The worst accident involving a DC-9-10 (at the time)
The worst accident involving a DC-9-10 (currently)
4th worst accident in Atlantic Ocean (at the time)
8th worst accident in Atlantic Ocean (currently) » figures explained
The worst accident involving a DC-9-10 (at the time)
The worst accident involving a DC-9-10 (currently)
4th worst accident in Atlantic Ocean (at the time)
8th worst accident in Atlantic Ocean (currently) » figures explained
Photos
Pieces of wreckage of I-TIGI; Photos courtesy of Oceaneering International, Inc.--website www.oceaneering.com
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Bologna-Borgo Panigale Airport (BLQ/LIPE) to Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport (PMO/LICJ) as the crow flies is 719 km (449 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
Distance from Bologna-Borgo Panigale Airport (BLQ/LIPE) to Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport (PMO/LICJ) as the crow flies is 719 km (449 miles).
