A 62-year-old pilot and a 63-year-old passenger died when their two-seater gyroplane struck cable car wires in northern Italy's Upper Antrona Valley.
Italian media reported that the aircraft owner was conducting a low flight over a protected natural park during a period of limited visibility when he attempted a turnback maneuver.
During the maneuver, the aircraft propeller hit cable car lines serving a local dam, causing the vessel to instantly burst into flames and fall to the foot of a slope.
Astonished hikers watched the tragic crash, including the pilot's brother. The local mayor also witnessed the incident, reporting that the aircraft transformed into a fireball.
Emergency services responded with an immediate, large-scale operation using helicopters and mountain rescue teams, but both occupants died before rescuers arrived.
Judicial investigation
The prosecutor's office in Verbania took over the case to investigate the exact circumstances of the crash. Prosecutors are examining whether the flight complied with required flight permits for operating over a protected natural area.
The Upper Antrona Valley is located in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, near the Swiss border. Verbania serves as the administrative capital of the surrounding Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province.
Gyroplane design and operation
A gyroplane, also known as a gyrocopter or autogyro, is a light rotorcraft that resembles a small helicopter but operates in a distinct manner.
Unlike conventional helicopters, which use powered engines to turn main rotor blades, an autogyro relies on unpowered top rotor blades spun by air moving upward through them as an engine-driven rear propeller drives the aircraft forward.
