2002 Pilatus PC-6 B2-H2 accident at Massa Cinquale (F-GLTP)

Incident Overview and Flight History On 15 August 2002, a Pilatus PC-6 B2-H2 with the registration F-GLTP was involved in an accident near Massa Cinquale, in the locality of Poveromo, close to Massa Marina (MS). The aircraft had taken off from the Massa Cinquale airport (LILQ) at 13:35 UTC (15:35 local time) for a parachute drop mission. The flight was the fourth and final one of the day, following earlier flights that had dropped a total of 26 parachutists. The aircraft was carrying the pilot and ten parachutists. ## Accident Sequence After reaching the planned altitude of 11,000 feet, the pilot completed the parachute drop phase at 13:44 UTC. While maneuvering away from the descending parachutists, the aircraft lost its right wing. According to an amateur video, the aircraft entered a clockwise spin and crashed into the sea approximately 50 meters from the shore. The pilot, a 35-year-old Italian male, was killed. The detached right wing was found mostly intact about one kilometer from the main wreckage. ## Investigation and Findings The Italian National Agency for the Safety of Flight (ANSV) conducted the technical investigation in accordance with Annex 13 to the Chicago Convention. The investigation focused on preventing future accidents without assigning blame. The aircraft was completely destroyed upon impact with the sea. The right wing, which had separated in flight, was largely intact, but the bracing strut was separated from the wing structure at its attachment point. No third-party damage occurred on the surface. The pilot held a valid private pilot license with endorsements for parachute drops, instrument flight, and aerobatic flight, and had extensive experience, including 761 hours on the PC-6.