What happened
On May 7, 2021, a Robinson R44 helicopter departed from a private estate in Estepona, Málaga, for a local flight under VFR conditions. The flight was conducted without a filed flight plan. While over the Mediterranean Sea, approximately 7 nautical miles from the beach of Torrenueva-La Línea de la Concepción, the aircraft experienced an engine failure and impacted the water, resulting in the total destruction of the helicopter.
One occupant was rescued by a private sailboat after spending six hours in the sea. Despite extensive search and rescue operations involving Spanish and Italian maritime and aerial assets, the second occupant—identified as the pilot and owner of the aircraft—remains missing.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation faced significant challenges due to contradictory statements from the rescued occupant and a lack of available data. The survivor provided conflicting accounts regarding his role, initially claiming to be a passenger while later stating he was an instructor teaching the owner how to fly. The investigation also noted that the survivor did not possess the appropriate license to operate the aircraft. Because the aircraft was not equipped with a flight recorder, and due to the limited information available, the investigators were unable to establish a definitive sequence of events or identify specific mechanical failures.