Agusta Spa A109A II accident near Varese, It, November 19, 2016
On November 19, 2016 at about 1:16 pm local time, a 1985 Agusta Spa A109A II (helicopter), registered N109W, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Varese. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under non-U.S. private rules. 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 2016 · about 1:16 pm local time · cases in 2016
- Place
- Varese, Italy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Agusta Spa A109A II AII, built 1985 · all A109A IIs on the register
- Registration
- N109W · registry record · serial 7301
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On November 19, 2016, at 1316 universal coordinated time, an Augusta A109 A II, N109W, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while navigating near Varese, Italy. An Italian passenger was fatally injured and the Italian certificated pilot and Swiss passenger were seriously injured. The flight departed Lugano Airport (LSZA), Lugano, Switzerland, at 1312.This accident investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo (ANSV) of Italy. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo Via A. Benigni, 53-00156 Telephone: +39 06 82 078 229 Fax: +39 06 8273672 This report is for informational purposes only, and contains only information released by or obtained from the Government of Italy.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: LSZA Lugano at 1:12 pm
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N109W on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Agusta Spa A109 107 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Agusta Spa 160 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B 113 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B 113 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA17WA060.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.