Preliminary Report: ULM Emergency Landing at Playa el Morro, Chile

Incident Overview and Location Details On December 27, 2025, at approximately 15:45 local time, a motorized ultralight vehicle (ULM) operated by a private pilot made an emergency landing at Playa el Morro, located in the Los Patos sector of Caldera, Atacama Region, Chile. The incident occurred approximately 6.2 nautical miles from the Caldera Aerodrome (SCCL), where the aircraft had taken off for a local recreational flight. The emergency landing site was situated on the coastal sand at geographic coordinates -27.1427406, -70.8887739. ## Aircraft and Pilot Information The aircraft involved was a Quad City Challenger II, manufactured by Quad City Aircraft, with serial number CH2-1044-2433. The pilot was a 36-year-old Chilean national holding a valid private ULM license, which expires on December 31, 2030. The pilot's qualifications included ULM airplane, motorized delta wing, and flight instructor ratings. According to self-reported data, the pilot had a total of 1,505 hours and 35 minutes of flight experience, including 1,425 hours in ULMs and 80 hours and 35 minutes in single-engine land aircraft. ## Investigation Findings and Status During the flight, the aircraft experienced a power reduction, prompting the pilot to execute an emergency landing on the beach. The pilot was not injured, while the aircraft sustained damage from the impact with water and sand. An on-site inspection confirmed the aircraft's structural integrity remained complete, and it was found parked facing south on the coastal sand. The investigation, conducted by the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil, is currently in the technical data collection phase, focusing on aircraft and meteorological records to determine the cause and formulate safety recommendations.