Date: 11th May 2013, Saturday

M-346 Jet Trainer Crashed Into North Italian Woods

Alenia Aermacchi’s twin-engine trainer prototype, registered as CMX617, had experienced a technical problem about 20 minutes into its sortie from Turin-Caselle airport. The 41-year old test pilot, Matteo Maurizio, ejected but sustain some injury. The aircraft crashed near the town of Piana Crixia in Val Bormida, between the provinces of Cuneo and Savona in northwest Italy. There were no injuries on the ground or damage to property. As per standard procedure, the fleet of operational M-346 has been grounded pending a investigation to the causes of the mishap.

Matteo Maurizio, born 1972 in Rome, grew up in Liguria. He joined ITAF in 1991 as a pilot trainee. In 1996 he received his SUPT pilot wings from United States. The following year he joined the Tornado Wings that was based in Ghedi. He left ITAF in 2007 with the rank of major and was recruited by the experimental department of Alenia Aeronautica. Matteo Maurizio has than 4300 flight hours on 50 types of aircraft - was carrying out certification testing for the manufacturing company of the Finmeccanica group.

Updated On: 13.08.25