Passengers 41 Registration YR-AMR Operator Banat Air Passenger count 41 | Aircraft type Antonov An-24B Date 13 December 1995 Total fatalities 49 (all) Crew count 8 | |
 | ||
Summary Bad weather, human error (negligence), loss of control caused by ice formation on the wings, excess weight Site Sommacampagna
near Verona Airport, Verona, Italy Flight origin Verona–Villafranca Airport Destination Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport Similar Cameroon Airlines Flight 3701, Nigeria Airways Flight 357, 1995 Alaska Boeing E, Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 56, Malaysia Airlines Flight 2133 | ||
Banat Air Flight 166 was an Antonov Antonov An-24 (registration YR-AMR) chartered on 13 December 1995 from Romavia by Banat Air.
Contents
It was due to fly from Verona, Italy, to Timişoara, Romania, when it crashed shortly after take-off, killing all eight crewmembers and 41 passengers. It later emerged that the aircraft was severely overloaded and its wings were contaminated with ice and snow. The accident was the 116th loss of an Antonov 24.
Accident
Whilst parked in parking spot B6 at Verona-Villafranca Airport, snow fell continuously and the outside temperature was 0 °C. After forty-one passengers boarded Flight 166 to Romania, the pilot declined to have the plane deiced. At just past 19:30 local time, the aircraft taxied to the end of runway 23; however heavy traffic delayed the departure.
When the Banat Air flight was cleared for takeoff, the outside temperature was below the freezing point. Shortly after lifting off, the aircraft reached its maximum speed. Banking to the right, the airspeed dropped dramatically, and so the pilot applied nose down elevator, causing the speed to increase again. Continuing their right hand bank, the flight crew again applied nose up elevator. The speed then dropped significantly, and the plane banked at sixty seven degrees. The pilots were unable to regain control of the plane and it struck the ground right-wing first, breaking up and bursting into flames.
Investigation
Investigators concluded that there were multiple causes for the accident, including the disruption of airflow over the wings due to ice formation on the wings, due to the plane taking off without being de-iced. They also determined that spatial disorientation and the plane being overloaded by about 2000 kilograms played key parts in the accident.