Incident Overview
On Saturday, April 3, 2010, at approximately 10:15 local time, a Cessna 172N aircraft registered as EC-HUV crashed while attempting to land at the Casarrubios del Monte aerodrome in Toledo, Spain. The aircraft was operated by Aerotec for general aviation purposes, specifically for dual-command flight instruction.
Flight Details and Sequence of Events
The flight originated from Madrid/Cuatro Vientos airport. The crew consisted of a 26-year-old commercial pilot instructor with 330 total hours (280 in type) and a 27-year-old student pilot with only 8 hours of flight experience. After completing navigation exercises, the pair proceeded to Casarrubios del Monte for landing practice.
The crew successfully completed three landings and takeoffs. During the fourth approach, configured with flaps at 30 degrees and an indicated airspeed of 65 KIAS, the aircraft was approximately 3 meters above the runway. At this point, a wind gust from the left caused the student pilot to lose control. The aircraft drifted right and descended sharply.
The instructor immediately took over the controls and attempted a "power-on" recovery maneuver. However, the left wingtip struck the pavement, destabilizing the aircraft further. The plane then impacted the ground again with the right wingtip and nose gear. The nose gear collapsed, causing the propeller to strike the runway surface. The aircraft came to rest on the right side of the runway strip.
Damage and Injuries
The investigation reported significant damage to the aircraft. The left wingtip was largely detached, and the outer section of the left wing was bent upward by 30 degrees. The right wingtip sustained severe impact damage, leading to a fuel leak from the wing tank. The nose gear strut broke, detaching the wheel, and both propeller blades were severely bent forward.
Both occupants were able to exit the aircraft under their own power after securing it. They sustained minor injuries; there were no fatalities or serious injuries reported among the crew or other persons.
Meteorological Conditions
Weather data from the aerodrome's meteorological station indicated winds from the southwest (242°–250°) with average speeds between 17 and 22.5 km/h (approximately 9–12 knots) during the incident window. The crew reported a crosswind from the left, which they believed was stronger than it actually was. The analysis suggests that the combination of full flap deployment, which increases sensitivity to wind, and a potentially excessive flare maneuver contributed to the loss of control when the gust occurred.