What happened
On June 16, 2013, a Beech 58, registration G-CIZZ, crashed into the eastern slope of Monte Mindino near Garessio, Italy. The aircraft had departed from Albenga airport for a planned VFR flight to Troyes Barbery, France.
During the climb, radio communications with Milano FIC were lost at approximately 09:43 UTC. Following the loss of contact, search procedures were initiated, and the wreckage was subsequently located by local authorities. The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was found deceased at the scene.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation examined the aircraft's flight path, recovered flight data, and meteorological conditions. Radar tracks and radio transcripts confirmed the aircraft was in a steady climb, reporting a position 15 miles northwest of Albender and passing through 5,400 feet just before the loss of contact.
Investigators analyzed the aircraft's integrated Bendix King KMH-820 avionics and EGPWS data. The analysis revealed that the EGPWS had recorded two terrain alerts during the final minutes of flight. However, these alerts were not audible to the pilot because the system had been left in an inhibited state. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's engines were producing power at the time of impact, as evidenced by the condition of the propeller blades.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) resulting from a loss of situational awareness.
- The pilot likely transitioned from VFR to IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) without realizing it, due to cloud cover obscuring mountain peaks and reducing visibility.
- A critical contributing factor was the failure to reactivate the EGPWS; the pilot had deactivated the system during a previous flight to avoid distractions and neglected to re-enable it for the current leg.
- Environmental conditions, including significant cloud cover and reduced visibility, created a high-risk environment for VFR operations in mountainous terrain.