What happened
On June 22, 2001, at approximately 07:35 UTC, a Socata TB 10, registration HB-EYZ, crashed in a mountainous area near Lago delle Matotte, in the municipality of Osiglia, Italy. The aircraft was operating a private VFR flight from Neuchâtel, Switzerland, to Albenga, Italy.
During the flight, the pilot was maintaining an altitude of 2,500 feet. While navigating the terrain, the aircraft encountered areas of reduced visibility caused by low-hanging clouds and fog. The aircraft struck tall vegetation in a gorge beneath the Monte dei Sette Pani peak, subsequently impacting the ground and catching fire. The wreckage was located three days later, on June 25, 2001, after a local woodcutter reported hearing an engine in the valley.
All four occupants—the pilot and three passengers—perished in the accident due to the impact and the resulting post-crash fire. There were no other injuries or property damage reported.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation reconstructed the flight path using radio communications with the Milano Flight Information Centre (FIC) and the aircraft's flight plan. The investigation established that the pilot had requested a higher altitude of 7,500 feet earlier in the flight to remain above the clouds, but the final communications confirmed the aircraft was at 2,500 feet, below the cloud base.
Technical examination of the wreckage revealed that the engine was fully operational and the propeller was rotating at high RPM at the moment of impact. The investigation found that the right horizontal stabilizer had been severed, likely due to a violent impact with tree branches, which would have caused a loss of control. The wreckage showed evidence of a prolonged, high-temperature fire fueled by the aircraft's fuel tanks.
Medical examinations of the pilot showed no evidence of sudden illness or impairment that could have contributed to the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT).
- The pilot was operating in marginal visibility conditions where clouds and fog obscured essential ground references.
- The aircraft was flying at an altitude insufficient to ensure separation from the terrain and obstacles (trees) in the mountainous area.
- The loss of visual landmarks likely led the pilot to follow the valley floor, which rises progressively toward the Monte dei Sette Pani summit, leading to the accidental collision with treetops.