Photo: Luca Calzone
The prestigious Mezzalama Trophy race featured an almost unbelievable viral moment over the weekend when a small plane nearly took out several skiers on Monte Rosa. Just a few days later, the pilot of that plane stepped forward and issued an apology for what he called a “serious error of judgment.”
The moment in question was caught on video when the small plane landed close to the group of skiers who were on the skin trail along the Colle Sesia, a saddle on the route to the 4,634-meter summit of Monte Rosa. Just as quickly as the plane touched down, it immediately made a turn, pointed directly at the line of skiers, and made a takeoff approach that split through several athletes by a close margin.
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The pilot, who’s only referred to as Francois T. in reports by Swiss and Italian media, penned a letter after reporting the incident to the Geneva Aéroclub, who reportedly owns the aircraft.
“I am deeply sorry for the community that I love more than anything else. I hope this never happens to any of you,” he wrote, explaining that he has 45 years of experience as a pilot and has been trained to land and take off on glaciers.
Meanwhile, the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) is investigating the incident. According to FOCA, their investigation is “to clarify the facts and take appropriate measures,” which could include criminal charges and/or the pilot losing his license.
