Narrative:
Crashed into Mount Longa at an altitude of 2000 feet (300 feet below the top) while on a night-time approach to Palermo. Weather at the time of the accident included broken cloud layer of 3/8 cumulus at 1500 feet and a visibility of 3 miles. The crew did not adhere to the established approach procedures.
The aircraft was named "Antonio Pigafetta".
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
» Jet-Airliner Unfälle seit 1952 / J. Richter, Chr. Wolf
» Marco Riva
» Disastro aereo Volo Alitalia AZ 112 del 5 maggio 1972 località Montagna Longa
accident date: 05-05-1972
type: Douglas DC-8-43
registration: I-DIWB
accident date: 05-05-1972
type: Douglas DC-8-43
registration: I-DIWB
| Status: | |
| Date: | Friday 5 May 1972 |
| Time: | 22:24 |
| Type: | Douglas DC-8-43 |
| Operator: | Alitalia |
| Registration: | I-DIWB |
| MSN: | 45625/144 |
| First flight: | 1961 |
| Engines: | 4 Rolls-Royce Conway 508-12 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 108 / Occupants: 108 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 115 / Occupants: 115 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 5 km (3.1 mls) SW of Palermo ( Italy)
|
| Crash site elevation: | 610 m (2001 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Roma-Fiumicino Airport (FCO/LIRF), Italy |
| Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport (PMO/LICJ), Italy | |
| Flightnumber: | AZ112 |
Crashed into Mount Longa at an altitude of 2000 feet (300 feet below the top) while on a night-time approach to Palermo. Weather at the time of the accident included broken cloud layer of 3/8 cumulus at 1500 feet and a visibility of 3 miles. The crew did not adhere to the established approach procedures.
The aircraft was named "Antonio Pigafetta".
Classification:
Non-adherence to procedures Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» Aviation Disasters / D. Gero» Jet-Airliner Unfälle seit 1952 / J. Richter, Chr. Wolf
» Marco Riva
» Disastro aereo Volo Alitalia AZ 112 del 5 maggio 1972 località Montagna Longa
Photos
accident date: 05-05-1972
type: Douglas DC-8-43
registration: I-DIWB
accident date: 05-05-1972
type: Douglas DC-8-43
registration: I-DIWB
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 Roma-Fiumicino Airport to Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport as the crow flies is 407 km (254 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Roma-Fiumicino Airport to Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport as the crow flies is 407 km (254 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.
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DC-8
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