Flight History
On 20 July 2021, the Piper PA-28-140, registration I-SVBA, departed Bari Palese Airport (LIBD) at 11:57 UTC for a local visual flight rules (VFR) sightseeing flight with a return to the same airport. The aircraft carried a pilot and a passenger, who was also a pilot and flight instructor. A witness observed the airplane flying at low altitude over an olive grove in Contrada Coccaro, Fasano. Moments later, the aircraft struck a medium-voltage power line and a guard wire, then crashed to the ground at 12:23 UTC.
Aircraft and Personnel
The airplane, a Piper PA-28-140 single-engine piston aircraft, was destroyed by impact forces. The forward section, engine compartment, cockpit, and both wings sustained severe damage, while the rear fuselage and empennage were relatively less damaged. Both main landing gear legs separated and were found near a dry-stone wall that was also damaged by the impact.
The pilot, a 29-year-old Italian male, held a valid Private Pilot Licence (PPL(A)) with a Single Engine Piston (SEP) rating and a Class 1 medical certificate. He had accrued approximately 93 flight hours, with 43 hours as pilot-in-command under instruction. This was his first flight on a PA-28 aircraft. The passenger, a 33-year-old Italian male, held a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL(A)), a Flight Instructor (FI) rating, and a Class 1 medical certificate. He had approximately 404 total flight hours, including 110 hours as an instructor, and 17 hours and 41 minutes on the PA-28 type.
Accident Sequence
According to the witness statement, the aircraft was flying low over the olive grove before striking the power line. The impact severed two medium-voltage cables and a guard wire. The aircraft then crashed into an olive tree and a dry-stone boundary wall, coming to rest in a field. The impact forces were catastrophic, resulting in the deaths of both occupants.
Damage
The aircraft was completely demolished. The propeller showed signs of rotational damage. The cockpit area was heavily compressed. Fragments of the landing gear fairings were scattered. The power line was severed, and the stone wall was partially demolished.
Investigation
The Italian National Agency for Flight Safety (ANSV) conducted the investigation. The report includes details on flight history, personnel qualifications, aircraft information, and the accident scene. No probable cause is stated in the available source material.