What happened
On January 17, 2020, a flight training session involving a Pipistrel Alpha Trainer resulted in a fatal accident near the La Victoria de Chacabuco aerodrome in Colina, Chile. The flight, part of a private pilot training program, was intended to practice various maneuvers, including slow flight and stall techniques.
While operating at approximately 3,500 feet, the aircraft entered a left-hand spin. As the aircraft descended toward the ground, the crew attempted to deploy the aircraft's emergency parachute system. However, the activation occurred at too low an altitude for the parachute to fully deploy and stabilize the descent. The aircraft struck the terrain and subsequently caught fire. The flight instructor and the student pilot both sustained fatal injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
DGAC Chile investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history, the crew's experience, and available surveillance footage. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft had undergone recent 100-hour and 200-hour inspections. The instructor was a highly experienced pilot with significant time in military transport aircraft, while the student was in the early stages of flight training.
Analysis of security camera footage from the hangar and nearby residences allowed investigators to reconstruct the sequence of events, from the pre-flight inspections to the final impact. Technical examinations of the wreckage, including studies by DICTUC, found no evidence of an engine fire or mechanical failure prior to the impact with the ground.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a loss of control in flight during the execution of basic maneuvers, which led to an unrecoverable spin.
- The crew failed to execute the stall maneuver correctly, transitioning the aircraft into a spin.
- There was a delayed reaction in attempting to recover the aircraft from the spin.
- The emergency parachute system was activated too late, providing insufficient time for the canopy to fully deploy before impact.
- The crew's decision-making and coordination were compromised during the critical flight situation.