What happened
On 9 January 2019, a Piper PA-28R-201 (registration G-OARI) was conducting a private visual flight rules (VFR) flight from Cascais, Portugal, to San Sebastian, Spain. The flight, which had originally been planned for Biarritz, France, proceeded normally through various sectors of Spanish airspace.
At approximately 12:12 UTC, the crew contacted Bilbao approach and was instructed to contact the San Sebastian tower. Shortly after, the crew reported they were unable to establish contact with the San Sebastian tower. This was the final communication received from the aircraft. The radar signal was lost minutes later, and the aircraft subsequently impacted the south face of Mount Ernio near Errezil. The impact destroyed the aircraft and caused a post-crash fire. Both occupants, the pilot and a passenger, were killed.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path, meteorological conditions, and the wreckage. Analysis of the aircraft's path revealed that the crew was flying at non-standard altitudes and had begun a descent approximately 8 nautical miles before reaching the mountain. The investigation found that the aircraft was flying at roughly 3,600 feet as it entered the Errezil Valley, where a low cloud layer with a base of approximately 600 meters was present.
Examination of the wreckage confirmed that the engine was producing power at the time of impact and that all control surfaces were functioning correctly. There was no evidence of any mechanical failure or any attempt by the pilot to perform an evasive maneuver, such as pitching up or banking, prior to hitting the terrain. The investigation concluded that the mountain was obscured from the pilot's view due to the cloud cover.
Findings
- The accident was a case of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) caused by the decision to continue flying through an area where meteorological conditions were below the minimums required for VFR operations.
- The crew had not properly planned the descent and altitude requirements for the terrain, as evidenced by the aircraft flying below the necessary altitude to clear the summits safely.
- Improper flight planning contributed to the occurrence.