Superga Air Disaster

Superga air disaster

The three-engined Fiat G.212, of the Avio Linee Italiane airline after the crash into the embankment back of the Basilica of Superga.
Accident summary
Date	4 May 1949
Summary	Controlled flight into terrain due to low visibility
Site	near Turin, Italy
Passengers	27
Crew	4
Fatalities	31 (all)
Aircraft type	Fiat G.212 CP
Operator	Avio Linee Italiane
Registration	I-ELCE
Flight origin	Lisbon, Portugal
Destination	Turin, Italy

The Superga air disaster occurred on 4 May 1949, when a Fiat G.212 of Avio Linee Italiane (Italian Airlines), carrying the entire Torino football team (popularly known as the Grande Torino) crashed into the retaining wall at the back of the Basilica of Superga, which stands on the hill of Turin; 31 people died.

The Avio Linee Italiane Fiat G.212CP was carrying the team home from Lisbon, where they had played a friendly match with S.L. Benfica in honour of the Portuguese captain, Francisco Ferreira. In the incident, the whole Torino team (almost all of the Italy national football team) lost their lives. Club officials and carriers also perished in the accident, as well as the crew and three well-known Italian sports journalists: Renato Casalbore (founder of Tuttosport); Renato Tosatti (the Gazzetta del Popolo, father of Giorgio Tosatti), and Luigi Cavallero (La Stampa). The task of identifying the bodies was entrusted to the former manager of the Italy national team, Vittorio Pozzo, who had called up most of Torino's players to the Azzurri.

The full-back, Sauro Tomà, did not take part in the trip due to an injured meniscus, nor did the reserve goalkeeper, Renato Gandolfi (the third goalkeeper, Dino Ballarin, took his place). Radio commentator Nicolò Carosio, Luigi Giuliano (captain of the Torino youth team), and former manager of the Italy national team, Vittorio Pozzo, were excluded for various reasons. Torino's president, Ferruccio Novo, did not take part in the trip due to influenza.