MILAN — 2001 · Major Tragedy

Linate Airport Runway Collision

ClosedSources: ALast updated: 14 October 2026

At 08:10 on 8 October 2001, at Milan Linate Airport, where thick fog had cut visibility to below 200 metres, a Cessna Citation business jet took a wrong taxiway and crossed into the path of an SAS MD-87 airliner taking off for Copenhagen. After the collision the airliner briefly became airborne, then crashed into a baggage hangar. All 114 people on the two aircraft and four workers in the hangar were killed, 118 in total, making it Italy's deadliest aviation accident. The investigation revealed a non-operational ground radar, inadequate taxiway markings, deactivated runway alarms and miscommunication between the tower and the pilots. An air traffic controller and airport officials were convicted, while some officials were acquitted on appeal.

Date: 2001
Place: Lombardy, Italy, Milan, IT
Category: Major Tragedy
Case Status: Closed
Coordinates: 45.4494, 9.2783 ↗

Timeline of Events

8 October 2001, 08:10Two aircraft collided on the runway in fog; 118 people died.
October 2001It emerged that a broken ground radar was a factor in the crash.

April 2004The controller and airport officials were sentenced to prison.
February 2008The Supreme Court upheld some convictions and confirmed some officials' acquittals.

Sources

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