What happened
On 6 June 2011, a CESSNA 182 T, registration SP-CFM, was conducting a private VFR flight from San Sebastian Airport to Maia Airport. The aircraft was flying along the coastline, using the coast as a visual reference, accompanied by two other aircraft in a formation.
As the aircraft approached Asturias Airport, the area was under Low Visibility Procedures due to fog. At 13:57, the air traffic controller contacted the pilot, requesting confirmation that the ground was still in sight and instructing the pilot to stay north of the airfield to avoid flying over the airport's VOR. At 13:59, the aircraft crossed inland, moving away from the coastline and toward the airport at approximately 1,000 ft. Despite the controller informing the crew that the airport was experiencing low visibility, the aircraft continued its descent.
At 14:00, the tower attempted to contact the aircraft but received no response. Shortly after, airport firefighters confirmed that the aircraft had crashed on the apron. The impact with the airport services building caused the aircraft to break into three pieces. The two fatalities (the pilot and the passenger) occurred upon impact.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path, meteorological conditions, and communications between the crew and air traffic control. Investigators analyzed the aircraft's trajectory, which showed the plane crossed the runway 11 extension perpendicularly, performed a 180-degree turn around the control tower, and struck the HVAC equipment and roof of the services building.
Investigators also reviewed the meteorological reports, which indicated heavy fog and low visibility at the time of the accident. Furthermore, the investigation looked into the communications from various ATC stations, noting that controllers at several stations had expressed concern regarding the adverse weather conditions and the risks taken by the VFR flight.