What happened
During a scheduled certification testing program, a Piaggio P.1HH HammerHead drone prototype was conducting a local flight mission. The twin-engine aircraft, which is based on the Piaggio P.180 Avanti airframe, departed from Trapani-Vincenzo Florio Airport at 11:20 local time.
Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, the connection between the aircraft and the ground control station was severed. Following this loss of communication, the drone went down in the sea, impacting the water roughly 8 km north of Levanzo Island. The aircraft was destroyed in the accident.
Findings
- The flight was part of an ongoing series of tests intended for the aircraft's certification.
- Loss of contact with the ground station preceded the impact.