Italian Aerobatic Team Aircraft Crashes Into Family Car

Tragedy struck the northern Turin province of Italy last September 17, after an Italian Air Force aircraft crashed and killed a girl on the ground.

The MB-339 jet, which was part of the Italian aerobatic team – the Frecce Tricolori, crashed during a practice run and struck a car that contained a family of four driving along a road parallel to the airport. The 5-year-old girl was killed, while the 9-year-old and the parents were treated for burns.

Video from the crash showed the MB-339 taking off before suddenly losing altitude, resulting in the unfortunate crash. The pilot was able to eject and also suffered burns as a result.

There hasn’t been any confirmation as to what caused the incident, but it’s been hypothesized that there was a bird strike during the very first phases of takeoff. 

The Frecce Tricolori was preparing for a show on Sunday as part of the 100th Anniversary of the Italian Air Force.