Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palermo Italy
Saturday, August 6, 2005 13:38 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On August 6, 2005, a Tunisian registered ATR-72 suffered a dual engine flameout and ditched in the ocean 11 NM northeast of Capo Gallo, Palermo, Sicily, Italy. There were 4 crew members and 29 passengers on board. One cabin crew member and 15 passengers suffered fatal injuries, the remaining occupants sustained minor to serious injuries. The flight departed Bari, Italy at 12.32 UTC. Approximately 45 minutes later, while cruising at FL 230, the number 2 (right) engine failed and the crew elected to divert to Palermo Punta Raisi airport with only one engine operating. About 3 to 4 minutes later, at 17,000 feet, the number 1 (left) also failed. The crew reported that they attempted to restart the engines with no success. After gliding for about 16 minutes, the crew was forced to perform and emergency water ditching approximately 23 NM offshore from Palermo airport. The aircraft broke into three parts after impacting the sea surface. The Italian ANSV is investigating, and the NTSB is assisting with extracting data from the Electronic Engine Controls manufactured by Hamilton Sundstrand Corp. The ANSV has issued safety recommendations regarding the fuel quantity measuring and warning system.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1338
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City Palermo
Event State --
Event Country ITALY
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source --
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 16
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 23
Injury Total All 39
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source Italy ANSV
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 3 2006 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record DELI
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number DCA05RA094
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ATR
Aircraft Model ATR-72-202
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country TS
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LIBD
Departure City Bari
Departure State --
Departure Country IT
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DTTS
Destination City Jerba
Destination State --
Destination Country TS
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 3 2006 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record DELI
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --