Passengers 124 Fatalities 108 Date 23 December 1978 Injuries (nonfatal) 21 Survivor 21 | Crew 5 Survivors 21 Number of deaths 108 | |
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Summaries Controlled flight into terrain, Pilot error Similar Alitalia Flight 112, Icelandic Airlines Flight 001, 1978 Iranian Chinook, 1978 Balkan Bulgarian, Air India Flight 855 | ||
Alitalia flight 4128 top 5 facts
Alitalia Flight 4128 was a scheduled flight from Leonardo da Vinci Airport, in Rome, Italy, to Palermo International Airport in Palermo, Italy, with 129 on board. On December 23, 1978, it crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea about 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Palermo while on approach. The accident was attributed to the flight deck crew believing they were nearer to the runway than they actually were, and therefore making a premature descent. The initial part of the approach was instrumental until the flight was 2 miles from Palermo International Airport. The crew then stopped the descent at 150 feet above the sea, as though trying to locate the final approach area, thinking they were close to the runway because of the airport lights. In the final nine seconds the aircraft flew almost level with the sea at 150 knots, then because of the wind, the aircraft lost its final altitude and impacted the water with its right wing. 21 passengers survived and were rescued by nearby fishing boats.