IH870

Aircraft: Mcdonnell Douglas DC9-15 CN45724/22 (1966-03)

Operator, Registration: ITAVIA, I-TIGI (1972-02-27)

Departure: 19800627180800ZW5N44.535E11.289G3.7E1H0 (BLQ)

Destination: 19800627191300ZW5N38.182E13.099G2E1H0 (PMO)

Accident: 19800627185945ZW5N39.717E12.917G0H7.2E3

Passengers+Crew • Fatalities/Survivors: 77+4 • 81/0

 

Cause of accident: Direct mid-air collision with an armed 527th TFTAS Northrop F5E Tiger II dogfighting @ 760 kn, scrambled in couple with another F5E from DCI in order to intercept and engage without notice the unarmed LARAF MiG23MS Flogger-E (ferry flying back to MJI from BNX after MRO) behind I-TIGI, right after the latter started descending on A13 AWY @ 430 kn.

 

In 1980 the unofficial IT-LY economic and military cooperation conflicted inexorably with the official IT-US and LY-US political relations. Within such critical scenario, LARAF MiG23MS were de facto unofficially authorized by SISMI to ferry-fly unarmed across IT airspace shadowing behind CT aircrafts on scheduled air corridors in order to carry out MRO in YU as unnoticed and undisturbed as possible by NATO. The LARAF MiG23MS #6950 was supposed to get in behind KM153, an Air Malta Boeing 720B flying LHR-MLA. Since IH870 departed 1h53' behind schedule from BLQ, when the MiG reached A14 AWY it intercepted IH870 first; at that time KM153 was 13'30'' behind schedule, 6' and ∼180 km behind IH870. The MiG RCS was first detected by FRZ VORTAC (interpreted by CIA ATC @ 182606Z as a HDG misalignment of I-TIGI, right after the MiG got in behind the DC9) and by a 513th ACG Boeing E3A Sentry flying @ FL295 in a circular path over GRS in a mission involving several 48th TFW General Dynamics F111F Aardvark and 438th MAW Lockheed C141A Starlifter ferry flying LKZ-CWE. 2 20º GCI Lockheed / Aeritalia TF104G and F104S Starfighter, during #433 GRS-VRN-GRS CAP training in couple, were ordered to verify the presence of a bogey behind IH870; they intercepted the MiG and squawked thrice SIF1 7300 code. Consequently, 2 527th TFTAS Northrop F5E Tiger II from DCI and 2 EC2/5 Dassault Mirage F1C from SOZ were scrambled. Shortly thereafter, AMI and ALA were ordered to abort mission and to leave the bandit to the F5Es. After mid-air collision @ Condor point, the MiG eluded dogfight and kept flying low toward the Calabrian coast; 2 VF41 Grumman F14A, scrambled in couple from NSY, intercepted the MiG near Paola and t≯4' later they shot it down over Timpa delle Magare.

 

REFERENCES

 

F. Colarieti 2016: Troppe incongruenze in Ustica 2016.

R. Martinelli 2016: Ustica. The missing paper.

C. Fusani 2016: Intervista a R. Priore.

C. Bruschi & M. Rosi 2014: Intervista a G. Nutarelli.

M. Landieri 2013: Il silenzio dei piloti di Grosseto.

F. Uccella & al. 2013: PC1871/2013.

P. Pisani 2011: PC10354-12865/2007RG.

M. Paolini 2002: I-TIGI a Gibellina.

M.A. Calabro' 1999: Il MiG libico.

R. Priore 1999: PP266/90PM - PP527/84GI.

G. Olivero & al. 1988: Documentazione incidente PAN RMS.

D.R. Griffiths 1980: USAF F-4Es deploying in Egypt for training.

 

 

Gulf of Sidra incident 1981 • El Dorado Canyon 1986 • MH370

Segreto di Stato • Condanna Stato Italiano • Shotdown airliners

 

19980203141251ZW2N46.274E11.476G1.046E3H1.1E2

19880828134400ZW7N49.438E7.604G2.38E2H4E1

19880703065400ZW7N26.668E56.045G0H4.3E3

 

md80it '16/'13/'09/'08/'07cba/'06ba/'05ba · FA · SV · IAPC · Q code

Done