Factual Information
History of the Flight
On 8 June 2001, at approximately 17:00 UTC, a Cessna 152, registration CS-AUI, departed from Cascais (Tires) aerodrome on a VFR flight plan for instrument training. The aircraft carried a student pilot and an instructor. The mission included maneuvers under a hood simulating instrument flight.
After departure from runway 35, the aircraft proceeded to the Guincho area and contacted Lisbon Approach Control (LIS APP), requesting to operate between 3000 and 4000 feet AMSL. Authorization was granted. For about 30 minutes, the student executed instrument maneuvers while the instructor acted as safety pilot.
At 17:56, the instructor contacted LIS APP and requested descent to 1500 feet over Guincho. The aircraft was above clouds but had visual reference to the sea through a gap. The instructor guided the student through the gap. While descending through 1900 feet, ATC instructed the aircraft to expedite descent due to traffic descending to 2000 feet. The instructor acknowledged. At 18:02, the aircraft disappeared from radar and ceased responding to calls.
Continuing descent, the aircraft entered clouds. The instructor took control and told the student to remove the hood. Visibility within clouds was 20 to 30 meters. The student first noticed the proximity of terrain to the left and alerted the instructor. The instructor applied full power and pulled back on the control yoke, attempting to clear the obstacle. This reduced airspeed, activating the stall warning horn. The instructor then pushed the yoke forward to regain speed, causing further descent. In this sequence of pulling and pushing, the aircraft struck terrain.
The aircraft impacted at about 1600 feet altitude on the Serra de Sintra at a location known as Alto da Peninha. The aircraft struck belly-first, fracturing the landing gear: the right main gear was torn off, the left main remained attached, the nose gear was displaced under the engine. The right wing struck the ground, fractured but remained attached with fuel tank intact. The left wing impacted a wall, remained attached, and ruptured the fuel tank. The propeller struck the ground, blades bent forward, and the propeller separated from the engine. The cockpit sustained severe deformation but the seats remained intact and seat belts held.
Both occupants survived, conscious, and evacuated the aircraft unaided. They sought help at a nearby road due to lack of operable onboard communication.
Injuries
The instructor sustained serious injuries: cranial trauma, fractures of the right arm and ankle. He was hospitalized for two days. The student sustained minor abrasions and a right ankle sprain; hospitalization was not required.
Aircraft Damage
The aircraft was declared a total loss due to severe damage.
Other Damage
No third-party damage was reported.
Meteorological Information
No weather station was present at Cascais aerodrome; traffic used Lisbon airport information. At 17:00, weather was reported as good with few clouds at 2500 feet AGL. However, pilots who flew in the area reported a near-continuous cloud layer over Serra de Sintra and surrounding areas, extending close to the coast and below 1500 feet MSL. This layer covered the higher peaks of the Serra, reducing visibility to 20-30 meters.
Aids to Navigation
All radio aids in the area were operational. The aircraft's equipment was tuned to Espichel VOR (radial 330) and Cascais NDB. These were not relevant to the accident.
Communications
The aircraft had two-way communications and maintained positive contact with ATC until the accident.
Wreckage Examination
Despite fractures and separation, aircraft components remained in close proximity due to low horizontal speed near stall speed. Wings remained attached to the fuselage; the right wingtip came to rest on a terrace before the stopping point. The engine remained attached to the fuselage and contacted a wooden telephone pole near a ravine. The right landing gear leg broke and the wheel separated.
Probable Cause
Not stated in the provided source.