**Two People Killed in Italy After Light Aircraft Collides with Power Cables**
*Piedmont, Italy – Wednesday, 11 a.m.* – A two‑seat autogyro crashed after striking electric power lines near the Campliccioli Dam in the Antrona Valley, killing both occupants.
The aircraft, operating a sightseeing flight over the mountains of northern Italy, hit the cables that serve an electric‑company cable car system and immediately caught fire before descending to the ground. Video footage captured the moment the aircraft struck the lines and burst into flames.
The victims were identified as 62‑year‑old pilot Alessandro Angelo Muscinelli, an engineer and experienced aviator, and his 63‑year‑old sister‑in‑law, Antonella Felagrani. Both were residents of the region and Muscinelli was known to regularly take relatives and friends on aerial tours of the area.
According to local reports, Muscinelli’s brother was waiting near the lake for the aircraft’s arrival. He and his partner were on board the same flight, and the brother observed the crash from the ground. The mayor of Antrona, Franco Borsotti, said he saw the aircraft from his balcony and described it as “a ball of fire” after it struck the cables.
Firefighters, mountain‑rescue teams and a helicopter were dispatched to the crash site, but they were unable to rescue the two occupants. The family later participated in the identification of the victims.
Italian authorities have opened an investigation into the cause of the accident. Investigators are examining weather and visibility conditions, including the possibility that sunlight may have impaired the pilot’s vision, as well as potential technical malfunctions and whether the power lines were properly marked on aviation charts.
The incident underscores the risks associated with low‑altitude flights in mountainous terrain, particularly when operating near utility infrastructure. No further injuries were reported.
Article and image source: israelnationalnews.com
