What happened
On May 31, 2015, during the "Spiaggia d’argento" airshow near Tortoreto Lido, Italy, a mid-air collision occurred between two aircraft belonging to the "Quei Bravi Ragazzi" aerobatic team. The collision took place while the two aircraft were performing a "mirror" formation maneuver.
The upper aircraft, a Van's RV8 with registration I-LOVI, was flying in an inverted position when it struck the aircraft below it. The impact caused severe structural damage to the I-LOVI, including the separation of the left wing and destruction of the tail surfaces and canopy. Following the collision, the I-LOVI plummeted into the sea, where the impact with the water resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and the death of the pilot.
The second aircraft, a Van's RV7 registered I-AMEL, sustained significant damage to its left wing leading edge and propeller blades. The pilot of the I-AMEL managed to perform an emergency landing on the water near the coastline. During the landing, the aircraft overturned, causing further damage to the forward structure and tail. The pilot of the I-AMEL sustained minor injuries but was able to exit the cockpit after breaking the canopy.