Accident Overview
On October 31, 1977, between 0913 and 0945 GMT, a Piper PA-28-180 G Cherokee, registration HB-OKZ, crashed in Origgio, within the municipality of Saronno, Italy. The aircraft was registered to Motorfluggruppe Lugano and was conducting a private visual flight rules (VFR) trip. The investigation determined that the accident resulted from a collision with a cable belonging to a high-voltage transmission line.
Crew and Casualties
The aircraft carried one pilot and three passengers, resulting in four fatalities and no injuries. The pilot, born in 1945, held a Swiss private pilot license valid until November 28, 1977. Records indicated he had approximately 85 hours of total flight experience at his last license renewal in January 1976. The aircraft's airworthiness certificate was current, with the most recent periodic inspection performed on October 28, 1977.
Operational Context and Weather
The flight departed from Lugano-Agno at 0855 GMT with a destination of Venezia-Tessera. At 0909 GMT, the pilot contacted Milano Information, providing details of the VFR special flight. Although initial instructions were received to maintain VFR rules within the Temporary Restricted Area (TMA), the pilot subsequently communicated an intention to return to Agno. This decision was confirmed at 0913 GMT, after which radio contact ceased. Weather observations near the crash site indicated low visibility due to fog and stratus clouds, with a ceiling around 500 feet and visibility reduced to as low as 800 meters in nearby reporting areas.