The flight was originally supposed to begin boarding sometime after 2:30 in the afternoon, but captain Staffieri, was in a rush to get to Malpensa before the storm[4] would hit, and forced the boarding to start at about 1:50. The boarding proceeded as usual, and all passengers were boarded before 2:05. The engines were started, and the aircraft taxied to runway 16R, and took off at 2:15. The flight climbed to cruising altitude. The cruise at 22,000 ft and descent to 18,000 ft were routine. [1][3]
At 2:57, the aircraft was cleared to descend from 9,000 ft to 4,000 ft, which would bring it into the tops of the storm clouds. The crew began the descent, with the weather at Malpensa previously being reported by the air traffic controller as:
"At Malpensa we have wind from 320° with gusts up to 25 knots, maximum up to 40; there is a storm in progress with two-eighths of cumulonimbus clouds at 2500 feet,… sorry, seven-eighths of cumulonimbus clouds at 3000 feet, QNH 1009. Call back if you intend to continue or stop over Voghera pending improvement.”[4]
The crew chose to continue the approach into Malpensa, and the controller, before handing the aircraft off to Milan, tells them to instead hold 5,000 ft before descending to 4,000 ft. Approximately 7 miles south of runway 35 at 2:59, the plane was cleared to make the descent to 4,000 ft, but strangely, the aircraft didn't respond, and 20 seconds later, the controller calls again, but this time, the crew responds, acknowledging their clearance. At 2:59:50, the aircraft, even though they were supposed to already be at 4,000 ft, are actually at 13,600 ft and descending at 3,000 feet per minute.[4] When the crew finally reached 4,000 ft, it was 3:04, in severe turbulence, and the flight data recorder was recording oscillation peaks of positive 2gs and negative 1.5gs. The crew believed that they were locked on to the ILS signal, but in reality, they were over a kilometer away. This was due to the amount of electromagnetic waves within the clouds, which were interfering with the signals from the ground.[4] At 3:00, the crew made contact with Malpensa tower, which gave them an updated weather report, being:
"Alitalia Six Six Zero, Malpensa tower, good morning to you. Continue for ILS 35 right. QNH is One Zero Zero Nine and QFE South Nine Eight Four. You are number one. No other traffic reported. There is currently a severe thunderstorm. In fact, we have eight/eighths of cumulonimbus clouds at 1,000 feet and a north wind of 30 knots with gusts up to 40 and visibility of 800 meters. Report leaving the outer marker and 2,000."[4]
Despite the crew confirming that they had passed the outer marker, they weren't at 2,000 ft, they were actually at 9,200 ft and descending. At 3:04, the crew extends the flaps and landing gear, and they begin making the final preparations for landing, despite now being north of the end of runway 35. The crew finally emerges from the clouds, and captain Staffieri, knowing the terrain well, recognizes the fact they aren't lined up with the runway at Malpensa, and are actually lined up with the runway at Vergate Field, and decide to go-around, and make a 180 to head back towards the correct airport. Co-pilot Panario raises the flaps and gear, and pushes the power to full. Staffieri, even after going around, can't get the plane to climb. In a last ditch attempt, he takes the engines to idle power, and pulls the nose as far back as he can in preparation for the impact. At 3:06, the aircraft impacts Mt. San Giacomo tail first, and initially, everybody on board survived the crash. However, the aircraft, loaded with fuel for the trans-Atlantic flight, ignites into flames, and 12 passengers are unable to escape the aircraft in time, resulting in their deaths.[4]
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