Piper PA-28-161 EC-DAF Crash in Castalla, Spain

Overview and Flight Details On 19 March 2013, a Piper PA-28-161 with registration EC-DAF, operated by Aeroclub de Alicante, departed Mutxamel aerodrome at 12:15 local time for a private visual flight rules (VFR) flight. The aircraft carried three occupants: the pilot and two passengers, all members of the same family. The flight was intended to return to Mutxamel. ## Accident Sequence Witnesses reported that the aircraft flew low over Castalla, where the passengers lived, making several low-altitude turns. One witness observed the aircraft pass at approximately 20 meters, with the engine sounding normal, before a second pass in which the left wingtip nearly touched treetops. The aircraft then banked sharply to the right and disappeared from view, followed shortly by a loud impact and dust cloud. ## Findings and Cause The aircraft struck the ground south of Castalla and was destroyed. All three occupants died from the impact. The investigation determined that the accident occurred when the pilot lost control of the aircraft while attempting to avoid a 43.5-meter telecommunications antenna located near the crash site. The antenna was 393 meters from the impact point. ## Safety Context The report notes the pilot held a private pilot license with single-engine piston land rating and had approximately 100 hours of total flight experience, including 16 hours 6 minutes in the Piper PA-28-161. The investigation was conducted by Spain's Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) under technical, non-judicial procedures aimed at accident prevention.