News reports today are saying 3 dead (the pilot and two who were not on the plane – no word as to whether those two were in the building or outside).

According to this Reuters report, there was not only a mechanical problem with the plane's landing gear but also a misunderstanding between pilot and air traffic controller that resulted in the pilot's flight path into the center of the city: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/DailyNews/milan020419.html

'I've Got a Small Problem'
Terror Attack Ruled Out; Much Confusion Before Crash
By Emilio Parodi

M I L A N, Italy, April 19 — Moments before his small plane rammed into Italy's tallest building, Luigi Fasulo had a perilous misunderstanding with air traffic control, and also spoke of landing gear trouble, officials said today. The transcript of Fasulo's final words before Thursday's crash in which he and two other people died reveals a chilling sequence of events. But it gives no clear answer as to why the 67-year-old pilot flew his four-seater plane into the 30-story Milan landmark.

Authorities ruled out a terror attack after Fasulo's Commander 112 tore a hole in the Pirelli Tower, reviving memories of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

Minutes before the crash, Fasulo had started his landing approach to Milan's Linate airport but was not lined up correctly on runway number 36, a spokesman for Italy's civil aviation authority (ENAV) told Reuters.

"Watch out, you're heading towards a cross runway, line yourself up," the air traffic controller told the pilot shortly before 5:42 p.m., according to a transcript of radio communications between the plane and Linate.
Fasulo: "I've got a small problem with the landing gear."

"Roger, circle ATA," the air controller said, referring to the private airstrip at the western edge of Linate just east of the city.

According to ENAV, a helicopter flying in the area then asked permission to land. "Request authority to begin landing procedure," the helicopter pilot said.

"No, go away, go away," the air controller said.

Fasulo then spoke, apparently believing the order to fly away from Linate was for him.

"Understood, I'll execute [the order]," ENAV quoted Fasulo as saying.

"No, no it's not for you, it's for me," the helicopter pilot said.

The air traffic controller advised Fasulo of his mistake and told him he was heading in the wrong direction — north towards the heart of the city.

"OK, I'm fixing a problem with the landing gear," the pilot said in his last recorded words.

The control tower told Fasulo to return to a flight path to land on runway 36, but the plane stuck to its fatal course.

"The control tower called the pilot twice," the ENAV spokesman said, "But there was no response."

There was a moment of radio silence, and at 5:42 p.m. the plane hit the 26th floor of the skyscraper.