Linate massacre: the expert, ‘no coincidence with San Donato, but more inspections to improve safety’

“The Linate accident has led to corrective actions over the years. Numerous preventive measures have also been put in place, which have been implemented and are working. I believe that greater surveillance would be good for the sector by increasing inspections at general aviation. and with the line operators. Enac, I must say, is doing a job of excellent quality “. Marcello Bernabucci is Fit Cisl’s technical coordinator of air transport and air accident investigator. Twenty years after the Linate disaster, which caused 118 victims on 8 October 2001, it takes stock of the issue of air safety and prevention, also in light of last Sunday’s tragic accident in San Donato Milanese, where 8 people died. “The two incidents are not correlated, neither by type of event nor by dynamics – Bernabucci at Adnkronos says -. In 2011 it was a ground collision between a private Cessna Citation CJ2 and a McDonnell Douglas MD-87 of the company. Scandinavian Airlines aircraft. In San Donato the reasons are still to be clarified but according to the surveillance videos we see the airplane swooping out of control at very high speed. When such accidents occur, explains Bernabucci, a private investigation is carried out and then the national flight safety agency issues safety recommendations, “after hearing all the parties involved – he underlines – these corrective measures are adopted to avoid accidents” . Moreover, since 8 October 2001 numerous actions have been implemented: “No crossings of the runway are planned and targeted processes have been implemented, such as safety briefings – adds Bernabucci – which are carried out regularly and involve all operators, from police forces to air traffic controllers in order to take preventive measures “. “It is clear that the element of fatality is always on the flight – he continues – unfortunately accidents happen and zero risks in air transport are extremely difficult. However, steps are being taken to aim for zero”. To give an example, Bernabucci uses the image of a pyramid: “the plane crash is at the top of the pyramid – he underlines – at the base there are many small events. What counts in flight safety is verifying events, not just serious ones. but also the minor ones. Well, if they are corrected, the field is narrowed and a serious accident is avoided “.