Accident in LIN involving a SAS aircraft.
 

Just heard on the local news that a SAS aircraft has collided with a building. 4 has been reported dead.

Regarding Scandinavian Airlines flight SK 686

Scandinavian Airlines regrets to confirm that one of its aircraft; an MD-
87 with flight number SK 686 from Milano/Linate, Italy to Copenhagen,
Denmark was involved in an accident at around 08.15 hrs local time today.

SK 686 is an SAS flight, and is not a code- share flight.

Although no further details of the accident are available at the moment we
estimate that there are approx. 104 passengers and 6 crew onboard.

SAS is doing everything possible to help passengers and to assist
Italian authorities at this time. A special phone number for next-of-kin
will be released as soon as possible.

The media information center can be contacted at the following number: +46
8 797 29 44.

SAS CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

CNN reports that a private plane crossed the path of the SAS plane causing it to impact the bulding

BBC has this to offer:
A passenger plane belonging to Scandanavian carrier SAS has crashed on take-off at an Italian airport.
One report on the Italian news agency ANSA says at least 12 people were killed and more than 100 injured.

An SAS spokeswoman said the aircraft was Flight 686 flying from Milan's Linate airport to Copenhagen in Denmark.

The plane is reported to have hit a smaller aircraft and ploughed into a building, before bursting into flames.

RIP

ROME, Italy -- An airliner has crashed into a building after being cut up on the tarmac by a smaller plane, Italian media has reported.

The SAS, or Scandinavian Airlines System, plane burst into flames, reportedly killing some passengers and injuring about 100.

An SAS spokesman in Stockholm, confirmed to The Associated Press news agency the accident involving its Flight 686, the 7:35 a.m. service from Milan's Linate airport to Copenhagen.

Fire crews were at the scene extinguishing the fire. Linate is Milan's second airport, after its main hub at Malpensa.

LIML 080720 080720Z 0000KT 0400 R36R/P1500 V1100U FG BKN002 BKN015
18/16 Q1014 NOSIG=

Latest from the BBC at 9.24

Two passenger planes have collided at Milan's Linate airport in Italy, killing at least 16 people, say reports.
One of the planes belonged to Scandanavian carrier SAS, which was taking off on a flight to Denmark when it hit a smaller Cessna plane on the runway.

The SAS plane ploughed into an airport building before catching fire, say reports.

One report on the Italian news agency ANSA says at least 16 people were killed and more than 100 injured. Earlier report said 12 people had died.

An SAS spokeswoman said the aircraft was Flight SK 686 flying from Milan to Copenhagen in Denmark.

The plane, an MD-87, had an estimated 104 passengers and six crew on board, the company said.

It had been due to take off at 0735 local time. The incident happened at 0815.

The Cessna plane is believed to have belonged to a German carrier.

At least four of dead were from the Cessna, said reports. The others are thought to have been on board the SAS flight.

Linate is Milan's second-biggest airport - most air traffic is handled at Malpensa.


RIP

Sadly, Italian news agency Ansa are now saying that over 100 have died.
I hope they're wrong.
Condolences to all affected.

Swedish TV news (SVT) is reporting that all 110 on board are feared dead.

Latest from Sky news suggests the MD-87 was on takeoff roll and had to abort takeoff when the Cessna crossed its path, then the MD swerved and crashed into a hangar, and caught fire.

Sadly they say over 100 may have been killed in the MD and 4 people in the Cessna. As you can see above heavy fog at Linate at the time which surely must have been a causal factor - it sounds like the Cessna mistakenly taxied onto the active runway.

BBC 0910 GMT

'Two passenger planes have collided at Milan's Linate airport in Italy, and at least 100 people are feared dead, says a report on the Italian news agency Ansa.
One of the planes belonged to Scandanavian carrier SAS, which was taking off on a flight to Denmark when it hit a smaller Cessna plane on the runway.

An SAS spokeswoman said the aircraft was Flight SK 686 flying from Milan to Copenhagen in Denmark.

A fire official told the AP news agency that more than 100 people had died when the plane burst into flames after crashing into an airport building.

The plane, an MD-87, had an estimated 104 passengers and six crew on board, SAS said.

It had been due to take off at 0735 local time. The incident happened at 0815.

German carrier

The Cessna plane is believed to have belonged to a German carrier.

At least four of dead were from the Cessna, said reports. The others are thought to have been on board the SAS flight.

The airport management company, SEA, told the French news agency AFP that between 20 and 25 people would normally have been working in the maintenance building which was hit by the plane.'

Oh dear!

My thoughts are with those affected.

Please, anyone with a 'good news' story about our industry - please post

:(

Daily Telegraph.

100 killed in Milan aircrash
(Filed: 08/10/2001)


MORE than 100 people are feared dead in a collision at Milan airport when an SAS plane preparing for take-off hit a smaller craft and crashed into a building this morning.

Officials said that rescue workers were still recovering bodies at the scene, but gave no further details.

All 104 passengers on the SAS jet were believed to have been killed, as well as the four people aboard the small Cessna plane it was reported to have hit at Linate airport. The Cessna belonged to a German firm.

The airport management company, SEA, said that between 20 and 25 people would normally have been working in the maintenance building destroyed by the crash.

According to initial reports, SAS flight SK 686 was preparing to take off for Copenhagen when it made a sudden manoeuvre to avoid a small plane.

However, the SAS plane, a Boeing MD-87, hit the smaller plane before ploughing into an airport building and bursting into flames, reports said.

I would have hoped that was not worse than what was reported when I posted my initial post.

My sincere condolances to everyone involved.

Condolences to all who have been affected by the tragedy.

A terrible tragedy on the back of what has probably been the worst month in the history of aviation.

Sincerest condolences to all involved - our thoughts are with you.

Funny old world.

When a train passes a red signal it's management to blame for relying on outdated technology.

When a plane encroaches on the path of another plane struggling with 50-year old technology - I wonder who will carry the can?

When are we going to stop using this primitive voice nonsense and embrace the modern world? What lessons were learned at Tenerife? Say "Departure" instead of "Take-off" - well that seems to have done a whole lot of good.

You can't control a modern airport with CB.

This question might be a little premature, but still: With heavy fog, and when there's no ground radar, and (obviously) no red stop bars in function, what the heck is a Cessna doing in the manouvering area when an other A/C is taking off in the first place, I wonder.

I guess the following days will provide us with an answer.

I hope... oh well, with the latest news updates I guess there are not many things left to hope for, really.

Another sad day in the worst month in aviation history. :(

Nick.

[ 08 October 2001: Message edited by: Nick Figaretto ]

According to BBC World, the Cessna had been cleared for take-off but took the wrong route to the runway in fog.

What a sad, sad day.
I had the pleasure of piloting the SE-DMA, Lage Viking, as late as last week and it certainly feels awful to see her lying in the smoking ruins in Linate.
My thoughts and prayers goes to the passengers, their relatives and the 6 collegues onboard :(

My condolences to all involved...

Can anyone comment on the standard of taxiway markings at LIN? Was at Malpensa recently, and found it decidedly difficult to spot correct taxiways at night, as the only markings are those on painted on the largely unlit taxiway surface. You could only spot the markings as you were taxying over them! Surely lit signs could help prevent accidents such as the one today?