What happened
On July 10, 2018, a Cessna 152, registration CS-DGU, operated by EAA - L3 Commercial Aviation, was conducting night training maneuvers at Ponte de Sor Aerodrome. The student pilot had successfully completed three training circuits on runway 21 using "stop and go" techniques without incident.
As the pilot commenced the fourth circuit, they reported a right tailwind. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). During this period of flight, the aircraft experienced a loss of control, resulting in a fatal impact. The accident resulted in one fatality (the student pilot) and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation focused on the transition from visual to instrument conditions and the training syllabus structure. The investigators examined the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident, specifically the proximity of the dewpoint to the air temperature, which contributed to the formation of clouds and reduced visibility.
Furthermore, the investigation reviewed the Approved Training Organization (ATO) syllabus, specifically the Integrated ATP course. The investigators analyzed the sequence of training modules to determine if the student had received sufficient instrument flight instruction prior to performing solo night flights. The investigation also looked into the lack of flight data monitoring (FDM) within the operator's safety management system.