Flight and Accident Overview
On 2 April 2025, a Promecc Freccia 100 ultralight aircraft, registration I-E027, departed from Aviosuperficie 'Il Falco' in Mazzè (TO) at 11:52 UTC, bound for Aviosuperficie Vallicella in Sutri (VT). The aircraft carried a pilot and a passenger. At approximately 12:34 UTC, the aircraft impacted terrain in the Montessoro area of Isola del Cantone (GE), at coordinates 44°38'53"N – 09°00'32"E, at an elevation of about 640 m (2100 ft). The impact sparked a fire that consumed the aircraft and surrounding vegetation within a 10-meter radius. Emergency services were notified by the Genoa fire brigade via the 118 emergency number around 12:50 UTC.
Occupants
The pilot, a 63-year-old Italian male, held a VDS pilot certificate (cat. Amphibious, Seaplane, Multi-axis, Two-seat, and Instructor) obtained in 2004, with instructor rating since 2010. His last flight before the accident was a 10-minute familiarization flight in the same aircraft from 'Il Falco'. He held a valid medical certificate. Autopsies determined death due to severe trauma and fire.
The passenger, a 38-year-old Italian male, was a VDS student pilot with no pilot license or certificate. Autopsy results indicated death from severe trauma and fire.
Aircraft Information
The Promecc Freccia 100 is a low-wing, single-engine, two-seat composite aircraft manufactured by Promecc Aerospace Srl. It was powered by a Rotax 912 ULS2 engine (73 kW) driving a two-blade FP-Propeller VPH3-BE-HHS. The aircraft received its identification certificate on 19 April 2022. According to the previous owner, the airframe had accumulated about 22 flight hours, and the engine, replaced in 2024, had about 2 hours of operation. Documentation was valid. Maximum takeoff mass was 600 kg. The aircraft was classified as a basic VDS (ultralight) and was not equipped with a transponder.
Location and Terrain
The accident site was in a valley of the Ligurian Apennines, on a semi-rocky slope with an estimated 20° incline, near a dirt road close to the village of Montessoro (GE). The valley runs northwest–southeast, with Monte Succhio (780 m) to the right and Montessoro (approx. 800 m) to the left. The valley floor rises gradually from 600 m to 977 m toward Monte Lerta. The impact area featured sparse shrubs and small trees, which were burned by the post-impact fire.
Weather Conditions
Witnesses reported non-optimal weather: fog, low clouds over the hills, and drizzle throughout the morning. At the time of the accident, no rain was reported. Local TV footage from around 15:00 UTC showed haze and obscured mountain tops. Photos taken soon after the accident revealed that the surrounding hills were not visible.
Significant Weather Low Level (SWLL) charts from the Italian Air Force for 06:00 and 12:00 UTC indicated a highly disturbed situation over northwestern Italy: cloudy to overcast skies, cloud bases from 2000 ft AMSL, moderate to severe turbulence, moderate to severe icing, invisible mountain tops, isolated rain showers, and snow at low altitudes along the Alps. Winds were predominantly from the north up to 35 kts. The 12:00 UTC chart predicted further deterioration with possible isolated thunderstorms. Footage of departures from 'Il Falco' showed overcast conditions without rain, consistent with the charts.
Communications and Flight Plan
No air-to-ground communications were recorded with any air traffic service unit. The pilot did not file a flight plan, as permitted by regulations for VDS flights.
Radar Data
As a basic VDS aircraft, I-E027 was not equipped with a transponder. ENAV radar searches between 11:48 and 13:07 UTC did not identify any track definitively associated with the aircraft.
Flight Data
A tablet recovered from the wreckage yielded a GPX file showing the flight path. The track indicated that after departure from 'Il Falco', the aircraft headed southeast. The recording continued after impact, as the device remained powered and functional, showing subsequent movements unrelated to the flight.