Narrative:
BEA Flight 142 was en route from London to Naples flying on Airway Amber 1, reporting over Ostia, Italy, 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 four Italian Air Force North American F-86E Sabre jets had taken off from Pratica di Mare Air Base on a group tactical training exercise in the Pratica CTR (West of Airway Amber 1) which was prohibited for civil aircraft. The formation was 5 km east of Anzio on a 310 degree 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."
Loss of control
Collision sequence reconstruction
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 22 October 1958 |
| Time: | 11:50 |
| Type: |  Vickers 701C Viscount |
| Operator: | British European Airways - BEA |
| Registration: | G-ANHC |
| MSN: | 63 |
| First flight: | 1954-12-01 (3 years 11 months) |
| Engines: | 4 Rolls-Royce Dart 506 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 26 / Occupants: 26 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 31 / Occupants: 31 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | near Anzio ( Italy)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | London Airport (LHR/EGLL), United Kingdom |
| Napoli Airport (NAP/LIRN), Italy | |
| Flightnumber: | BE142 |
BEA Flight 142 was en route from London to Naples flying on Airway Amber 1, reporting over Ostia, Italy, 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 four Italian Air Force North American F-86E Sabre jets had taken off from Pratica di Mare Air Base on a group tactical training exercise in the Pratica CTR (West of Airway Amber 1) which was prohibited for civil aircraft. The formation was 5 km east of Anzio on a 310 degree 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:
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."
Classification:
Mid air collisionLoss of control
Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 59-AN/54 (215-227)Photos
Collision sequence reconstruction
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 London Airport to Napoli Airport as the crow flies is 1618 km (1011 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from London Airport to Napoli Airport as the crow flies is 1618 km (1011 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
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.
languages: 
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Vickers Viscount
- 445 built
- 15th loss
- 8th fatal accident
- 3rd worst accident (at the time)
- 24th worst accident (currently)
Italy- 3rd worst accident (at the time)
- 15th worst accident (currently)
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