Accident Overview
On 18 April 2006, at 12:20 local time, two Cessna 172 aircraft collided in flight near the Casarrubios del Monte Aerodrome in Toledo, Spain. The aircraft involved were a Cessna 172-M, registration EC-HAS, and a Cessna 172-R, registration EC-IYF. Both were operated by American Flyers España and were conducting dual instruction flights.
Aircraft and Occupants
EC-HAS carried two occupants who died as a result of the collision and subsequent impact with the ground. The aircraft sustained considerable damage, primarily to the outer half of the right wing. EC-IYF also carried two occupants; both were uninjured. After the collision, EC-IYF performed an emergency landing in a field approximately 2 km from the collision site. During the landing, the nose gear separated and the aircraft overturned, coming to rest inverted. The occupants evacuated without assistance.
Circumstances
EC-IYF had departed Madrid/Cuatro Vientos Airport at 11:31 local time with the callsign FYS211, on a local flight plan of two hours duration. On board were an instructor and a pilot undergoing flight instructor training. After leaving the circuit via point W, they proceeded to the San Juan reservoir area where they practiced various emergencies for about 20 minutes. The collision occurred in the first third of the downwind leg of the traffic pattern at Casarrubios del Monte Aerodrome.
Investigation Findings
The investigation established that the crew of EC-HAS lost situational awareness, which prevented them from recognizing that they had lost sight of the preceding aircraft. This led them to incorrectly identify another aircraft in the circuit as their predecessor. An excessive number of aircraft, between five and seven, were present in the circuit at the time, which contributed to the accident by complicating the identification of the preceding aircraft and reducing communication capacity.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was the loss of situational awareness by the crew of EC-HAS, which caused them to lose sight of the preceding aircraft and misidentify another aircraft as such. A contributing factor was the excessive number of aircraft (5-7) in the circuit, which hindered identification and communication.