What happened
During an afternoon mission originating from Rome-Ciampino Airport, a firefighting aircraft was engaged in suppressing a blaze in the hilly region of Forte dei Marmi, located north of Pisa. After completing two previous successful sorties, the crew was performing low-altitude maneuvers to combat the fire when the aircraft struck power cables.
Upon impact with the lines, a fire ignited on the right side of the airframe. This resulted in a loss of control, leading the aircraft to crash into a residential neighborhood. The accident resulted in two fatalities among the crew, though no injuries were reported among the people on the ground.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating at a low altitude in difficult, hilly terrain.
- Collision with power cables triggered an onboard fire on the right side of the aircraft.