Introduction
On 22 July 2023, at approximately 09:55 local time, a Tecnam P92 Echo Classic aircraft registered as YR-5334 crashed near the "Piatra Craiului" airfield in Zărnești, Brașov County, Romania. The pilot, the sole occupant, died during the accident, and the aircraft was destroyed.
History of the Flight
At 09:49, the pilot, located at the airfield, contacted the Ghimbav-Brașov airport tower via radio to communicate the intention to take off from runway 03 for a flight on the route Râșnov–Bran and return. At 09:52, the pilot informed the tower that the aircraft had taken off and would fly between Râșnov and Bran. The tower acknowledged and transmitted a transponder code, which the pilot did not read back. At 09:55, ISU Brașov was notified of the crash and responded. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
The crash site was approximately 1.2 km east of the airfield at coordinates 45°33′52.64″N, 025°24′33.85″E.
Pilot Information
The pilot was a 67-year-old male holding a valid Ultralight Motorized Aircraft Pilot License and a valid medical certificate.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Tecnam P92 Echo Classic (serial number 1239, manufactured in 2009), registered in Romania as YR-5334. It was privately owned and operated. The engine was a Rotax 912 ULS (serial number 5651382), and the propeller was a GT-2/173/VRR-FW101SRTC (serial number 2151, manufactured in 2021). The aircraft had logged 846 flight hours.
The aircraft is a two-seat, high-wing, metal-construction monoplane with fixed tricycle landing gear. It is equipped with electrically operated flaps (positions 0°, 15°, 35°). The ballistic parachute was not installed. The aircraft was fitted with a radio, transponder, and an IFDmicroNET EFIS flight display, all of which were destroyed on impact.
Meteorological Situation
At the time of the accident, the METAR from Ghimbav-Brașov airport (18 km away) reported wind variable between 250° and 320° at 10 knots with gusts to 20 knots, visibility 10 km or more, temperature 22°C, few clouds at 2100 ft, and QNH 1015 hPa.
Airfield Information
The "Piatra Craiului" airfield is located 19 km WSW of Brașov and 18 km SW of Ghimbav-Brașov airport. It has two grass runways: 13/31 (500 m × 30 m) and 03/21 (600 m × 25 m), at an elevation of 674 m.
Analysis
Witnesses at the airfield observed the aircraft only until takeoff. Radio communications recorded between 09:49 and 09:53 indicated the intended flight path. Based on the crash location, the probable flight path was a takeoff from runway 03, a short climb, and a right turn during which the aircraft struck the ground.
The wreckage position indicated a steep downward trajectory (approximately 45° dive) with a right bank (approximately 30°). Initial ground contact occurred nearly simultaneously with the right landing gear and right wingtip, followed by the propeller. The left wingtip then contacted the ground, and the aircraft came to rest on the left landing gear, the broken right wing, and the engine.
Examination of the wreckage found no malfunctions or blockages of flight controls. Propeller blade damage showed that the engine was operating at impact and that the blades broke at a high angle. No evidence of engine or propeller malfunction was found. Fuel was present in both tanks and carburetors, and the fuel supply valves were open. Mechanical failure was not considered a likely factor; no evidence of any pre-impact failure was identified, and the pilot gave no indication of technical problems during radio communications.
The report notes that the aircraft's electronic equipment was destroyed and did not provide data for the investigation.