What happened
On February 6, 2019, at approximately 10:10 local time, a mid-air collision occurred near Quijorna, Madrid, involving two aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The first aircraft, a Tecnam P2002-JF with registration EC-NAM, operated by Quality Fly, was conducting a dual-instruction flight. The crew, consisting of an instructor and a student pilot, had departed from Cuatro Vientos Airport earlier that morning to practice take-offs and landings.
The second aircraft, a ULM Safari GTBI Fun 1s8 with registration EC-CC3, had departed from the Villanueva de la Cañada airfield ten minutes prior. During the flight, the Tecnam P2002-JF collided with the ultralight. The impact caused the Tecnam P2002-JF to lose a portion of its right wingtip and aileron, leading to an uncontrolled, near-vertical descent that resulted in the 2 fatalities on board. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact with the ground. The pilot of the EC-CC3 managed to maintain control of the ultralight despite damage to the wing cables and landing gear, performing an emergency landing on a nearby path with only 1 minor injury reported.
The investigation
Investigators analyzed the wreckage, radar tracks, and flight data from the aircraft's GPS and display units. Primary radar confirmed the trajectory of the EC-NAM toward Quijorna. The investigation examined the physical damage to both aircraft, noting that red paint from the ultralight's control cable sheathing was transferred to the underside of the Tecnam P2002-JF's wing.
Analysis of the altimeter settings revealed that the EC-NAM was likely flying at a lower altitude than intended, possibly due to an incorrect QNH setting. The investigation also reconstructed the flight geometry, suggesting the Tecnam P2002-JF was likely in a climbing attitude following an engine-failure simulation maneuver when the collision occurred.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the failure to adhere to visual flight rules, specifically due to deficient external vigilance by the crew of the EC-NAM.
- The crew of the Tecnam P2002-JF was likely focused on an engine-failure simulation maneuver, which led to a lack of situational awareness regarding other traffic.
- The collision caused significant structural damage to the EC-NAM, including the loss of the right wingtip and aileron, making flight impossible.
- The EC-CC3 sustained damage to its front landing gear, wing keel, and control cables, but remained flyable.
- Meteorological conditions were favorable for VFR flight (CAVOK).