History of the Flight
On 15 May 2019 at 14:50 LT, the Tecnam P2008-JC, registration YR-COV, departed from Ghimbav aerodrome in Brașov County on a private flight to Costinești, Constanța County. A VFR flight plan had been filed. Weather at take-off was favorable but showed a worsening tendency, with a low and decreasing cloud ceiling in the mountain area. The aircraft climbed to 1350 m flying south-southeast for about 15 minutes, then continued climbing to 2200 m as it approached the mountains. Visibility decreased due to lowering clouds and rising terrain. GPS data showed variations in altitude and heading during the final segment. Shortly before the accident, the aircraft abruptly changed heading toward south-southwest and descended. Approximately 5 km northwest of the town Nehoiu, the aircraft struck trees in a wooded area. The cockpit came to rest at coordinates 45°26'26.16"N, 026°15'57.18"E, at an altitude of 791 m. The aircraft was destroyed; the pilot and passenger died.
Aircraft Information
The Tecnam P2008-JC (serial 1078, manufactured 2017) is a two-seat, parasol-wing, high-wing monoplane powered by a Rotax 912 S2 engine. It has fixed tricycle landing gear and a composite fuselage with metal wings and tail. The aircraft was equipped with a Garmin G3X integrated navigation system, including PFD and MFD displays, plus analog backup instruments. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated 106 flight hours and held a valid airworthiness certificate. The last maintenance (100-hour inspection) was on 26 October 2018.
Pilot Information
The pilot, a 44-year-old male, held a valid PPL(A) with SEP qualification, obtained on 10 October 2018. His medical certificate was valid. His total flight experience was 55 hours as of 10 October 2018; the investigating commission could not retrieve his logbook for subsequent hours. Toxicological tests found no alcohol or prohibited substances.
Meteorological Conditions
At 14:00 LT, the Brașov-Ghimbav station reported: total cloud cover 6/8, lower cloud 3/8 cumulus congestus and altocumulus, cloud base at 1500 m, visibility >50 km, wind from SSE at 6–8 m/s, temperature 23°C, dew point 8°C, pressure falling 0.6 hPa in 3 hours. At the same time, the Întorsura Buzăului station (closest to the accident) reported: total cloud cover 8/8, partial 4/8 cumulus congestus, cloud base at 600 m, visibility >50 km, wind from SE at 6–8 m/s, temperature 18°C, dew point 10°C, pressure falling 0.1 hPa. Analysis of satellite and radar data indicated that in the accident area, convective clouds had bases at 1200–1500 m, with wind at 1500–1700 m estimated at 48–51 km/h from the south and southeast. No icing conditions were reported. Significant weather maps showed reduced visibility in the mountain area that did not permit VFR flight.
Accident Site
The accident occurred in a wooded mountainous area of the Siriului Mountains, Buzău County, about 5 km from Nehoiu. The wreckage was spread over a large area: the wings, horizontal tail, ailerons, and fuselage parts were found in the Nehoiașu River Valley, while the cockpit was at the recorded coordinates.
Investigation
The investigation was conducted by the Romanian Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authority (AIAS) with assistance from the UK AAIB, which helped download GPS data. The commission analyzed meteorological information from the National Meteorology Administration.