What happened
On February 16, 2022, a CESSNA FA 150K, registration D-EATU, crashed in the municipality of Las Cabezas de San Juan, Seville. The aircraft had departed from Jerez airport for a solo local navigation flight intended to be a two-hour instructional session. The pilot, a student working toward a license conversion, was the sole occupant of the aircraft.
During the flight, radar data from ENAIRE indicated that the aircraft performed continuous turns and several descents that dropped below radar coverage. At approximately 12:06:58 local time, while at an altitude of 3,100 feet, the aircraft's ground speed dropped abruptly from 59.3 knots to 18.8 knots. Shortly thereafter, radar contact was lost. Witnesses at a nearby farm observed the aircraft descending in a left-hand rotation, appearing to be in a spin, before striking the ground. The impact resulted in one fatality.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and analyzed radar and witness data. The aircraft sustained significant damage to the fuselage, wings, propeller, and landing gear. Technical inspections of the engine and control surfaces found no evidence of mechanical failure; the engine was running at the time of impact, and the control cables remained continuous. The flaps were found in the retracted position.
Analysis of the flight path revealed that while a navigation flight plan had been submitted, the aircraft was performing various maneuvers, including ascents and descents. Investigators noted that the pilot's training program included stall recovery but did not specifically include spin recovery. Witness testimony suggested the aircraft's speed decreased significantly just before impact, which may have been the result of the pilot attempting to pull back on the control column to arrest the descent.
Findings
- The aircraft performed maneuvers, such as turns and altitude changes, that deviated from the submitted navigation flight plan.
- Radar data confirmed a sudden and sharp decrease in ground speed immediately preceding the loss of radar contact.
- Video footage from witnesses captured the aircraft in a descending spin.
- No technical or mechanical failures were identified as a contributing factor to the accident.