What happened
On May 10, 2002, a Robin DR 400-180, registration D-ESCM, departed from Perpignan, France, bound for Granada Airport, Spain. The flight was part of a larger 12-day tour of Spain and Morocco, accompanied by a second aircraft of the same type. The crew consisted of two pilots and one passenger.
At 13:46 local time, the aircraft established contact with the Granada Tower for the final time. During this communication, the pilot reported being 10 nautical miles east of the airport. However, the tower's direction-finding equipment (goniometer) indicated the signal was actually coming from the northeast. Suspecting a navigational error, air traffic controllers attempted to re-establish contact, but the aircraft did not respond.
Following the activation of uncertainty and distress alerts, a search operation was launched. On May 11, 2002, the wreckage and the bodies of all three occupants were located in the Sotanilla Haza del Rey area, near Huetor Santillán, approximately 15 km northeast of Granada. The impact occurred at an elevation of roughly 3,655 feet.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage, the engine, and the propeller to reconstruct the final moments of the flight. Analysis of the propeller blades showed significant plastic deformation, indicating that the engine was producing power and the propeller was rotating at the moment of impact. The investigation also identified a failure in the propeller flange's connection to the crankshaft, caused by the extreme bending stresses of the ground impact.
Meteorological data revealed that while visibility was generally within VFR limits, the area was characterized by scattered clouds between 2,500 and 3,000 feet and more solid cloud layers between 4,000 and 5,000 feet. This was corroborated by the occupants of the accompanying aircraft, who reported having to fly at very low altitudes to remain clear of the cloud cover.
Findings
- The aircraft was performing an approach descent into Granada Airport.
- The pilot was operating under the mistaken belief that the aircraft was 10 NM east of the airport, when it was actually located to the northeast.
- The aircraft entered a cloud layer that obscured the terrain, leading to a loss of situational awareness regarding both geographic position and altitude.
- The impact was characterized by the left wing striking an olive tree, followed by the propeller hub striking the ground, which caused the total destruction of the airframe.