2002 Pirelli Tower airplane crash
On April 18, 2002, at 17:48 (local time), a Rockwell Commander 112 crashed into the upper floors of the Pirelli Tower in Milan, Italy, for reasons still unclear. The crash killed the pilot and two others in the building. Sixty more people sustained injuries in the building and on the ground.
 Most damaged part of the Pirelli Tower shortly after the crash. | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | April 18, 2002 |
| Summary | Collision with building, for reasons undetermined; most plausible reason suicide by pilot[1] |
| Site | Pirelli Tower, Milan, Italy 45°29′05″N 9°12′05″E |
| Total fatalities | 3 (1 on plane, 2 in building) |
| Total injuries | 60 |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Rockwell Commander A112 |
| Operator | Private |
| Registration | HB-NCX |
| Flight origin | Locarno Airport, Magadino, Switzerland |
| Passengers | 0 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Injuries | 60 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Ground casualties | |
| Ground fatalities | 2 |
| Ground injuries | 60 |
The crash raised fears of a terrorist attack because of the similarities with the September 11 attacks, which had occurred seven months earlier. A subsequent investigation ruled out terrorism as a motive.
Incident
The plane, piloted by Swiss 65-year-old Luigi Fasulo, took off from Locarno Airport in Magadino, Switzerland, eighteen minutes before the crash. Later as the plane flew over Milan, Italy, the pilot radioed to the control tower at Linate Airport that there was a problem with the retractable landing gear. The tower began arranging an emergency landing. Suddenly the pilot left, leaving another aircraft saying, "No, they told you to land, not me!". Minutes later, at 17:48, the small plane crashed into the Pirelli Tower. The vibration of the crash caused shop windows to break and littered the surroundings with debris and glass. The pilot and two lawyers present inside the building died.
Between thirty and forty people were taken to the hospital with moderate injuries, while fire-fighters contained the fire that resulted from the crash. Immediately after the crash, the nearby Milan central railway station, metro station and the Linate airport were shut down.[2]
Investigation
Italian officials conducted an investigation after the crash. The cause of the crash was never exactly determined, but the most plausible reason is an accident or a suicide. The pilot was in fact victim of a scam that brought him close to bankruptcy, so the possibility of a spectacular suicide is plausible.[1]
Aftermath
The crash aroused fears of another terrorist attack since it occurred seven months after the September 11 attacks. Because of this, stock markets around the United States and Europe fell sharply and business trading in Milan was suspended. The fears abated when investigators concluded that the crash was not an act of terrorism.[3][4]
References
- "Investigators:Intentional or accidental crash?". Corriere Della Sera.it. April 20, 2002. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
- "Three dead as plane hits Milan's tallest building". CNN. April 19, 2002. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
- Janine Yagielski: New Yorkers' first reaction: 'Not again', CNN, April 19, 2002. URL Accessed: August 4, 2006
- BBC News: Markets rattled by Milan plane crash, April 18, 2002. URL Accessed: August 4, 2006