What happened
On June 2, 2012, at approximately 15:45 UTC, an ESQUAL VM-1P, registration CS-ULL, departed from Tojeira airfield during the Tojeira Air Meet. The aircraft was operating a recreational flight with a pilot and one passenger on board, intending to return to Lagos.
Following takeoff, the aircraft performed a left turn and proceeded south along the coastline at a low altitude, fluctuating between 1 and approximately 711 feet. During this period, the aircraft was operating with transponder code 7000, the standard code for VFR flights outside controlled airspace in Portugal. However, the flight took place within Class D controlled airspace, and no flight plan had been submitted for the mission.
At 15:52 UTC, roughly seven minutes after departure, the aircraft collided with a cliff south of Cabo da Roca. The impact resulted in two fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation established that the pilot was properly licensed and medically fit for the flight, and no mechanical malfunctions were identified as contributing to the accident. Meteorological data revealed that a slow-moving cold front was causing intermittent precipitation and very low cloud cover, with thick stratus layers dropping below 1,500 feet. These conditions resulted in visibility of less than 3 km and significant fog/mist.
Investigators noted that the pilot had been warned by several attendees of the air meet regarding the decision to fly in the prevailing weather. Radar data from NAV (Navegação Aérea de Portugal) showed the aircraft's signal appearing intermittently near the airfield before the collision. Evidence at the crash site indicated the aircraft struck the ground with a shallow pitch attitude and the engine producing power.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was spatial disorientation resulting from the loss of the horizon and ground references due to adverse meteorological conditions.
- The pilot's decision to operate the flight in weather conditions that did not meet the required VFR minimums was a significant contributing factor.
- The failure to submit a flight plan, which was mandatory for the Class D airspace, prevented potential navigational assistance that might have avoided the terrain.
- The aircraft's altitude fluctuated significantly in an attempt to maintain visual references to the terrain before the impact.