A trainer jet manufactured by Leonardo crashed near the town of Como in northern Italy on Wednesday, and one of the flight's two pilots has died, the defence group said.
The causes of the accident are under investigation, the state-controlled group said in a statement, adding it was premature to hypothesise on the cause.
The twin-engine light combat jet, an M-346, had taken off from Leonardo's plant in late morning "following the checks required to authorise the flight, which were completed just before take-off," the group said in a statement.
