What happened
On April 11, 2001, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, registration EC-FGK, crashed in the La Paca area near Lorca, Murcia. The aircraft, operated by Aeroway, S.L., had departed from Alicante airport for a local flight involving two occupants: the pilot and a passenger. The purpose of the flight was to take aerial photographs of a nearby service station.
While flying at a very low altitude and low airspeed, the aircraft approached the service station flying into the wind. Witnesses observed the aircraft perform a sharp right turn to transition into a tailwind position. During this maneuver, the aircraft lost lift and plummeted into the ground, approximately 100 meters from the service station. The impact triggered an intense fire and explosion that destroyed the aircraft and burned approximately 800 square meters of surrounding vegetation. Both occupants sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined the flight history, aircraft maintenance, and meteorological conditions. The investigation established that the pilot was flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in favorable visibility and temperature, though North winds of 10 to 15 knots were present.
Investigators analyzed the aircraft's performance capabilities, noting that the stall speed for this model is approximately 96 km/h without flaps. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's airworthiness certificate, which had been extended through April 10, 2001, following a successful ground inspection, though a flight test had been pending due to weather.
Findings
- The aircraft was flying at a very low altitude, estimated by witnesses to be between 12 and 40 meters.
- The aircraft was operating at a reduced airspeed, likely near its stall threshold.
- The pilot attempted a steep right turn, which caused the inside wing to lose relative airspeed and enter a stall.
- The stall occurred at an altitude too low to allow for recovery, even after the pilot attempted to apply additional power.
- The impact with the terrain was initially with the right main landing gear, causing the aircraft to roll and strike the ground forcefully.