Accident Details
On 21 July 2010 at 03:20 local time, a Piper PA-28-14 aircraft, registration EC-CSX, crashed into a sunflower field approximately 1 km northeast of Villamartín aerodrome in Cádiz, Spain. The flight had departed from the aerodrome at 03:15 local time from runway 06 without establishing radio communication and without a filed flight plan. Shortly after takeoff, while flying on a northwest heading of about 300° and parallel to the crosswind leg of the aerodrome circuit, the aircraft impacted the ground in direct flight. The first impact detached the propeller, the nose wheel, and the left window. The aircraft then continued for about 40 m and struck the ground a second time, after which it caught fire. The pilot was ejected during the second impact and was found deceased 20 m from the main wreckage. The propeller showed no significant deformation; the blade tips were slightly bent rearward. No ground marks from the propeller blades were found.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a single-engine Piper PA-28-14 powered by a Lycoming O320 E3D engine. It was privately operated. The pilot, aged 41, held a Commercial Pilot License (CPL(A)) issued on 11 July 2003. His JAR-FCL medical certificate was valid from 11 July 2003 to 11 July 2008. He held ratings for single-engine piston (SEP) from 24 June 2005 to 11 July 2007, multi-engine piston (MEP) from 23 June 2005 to 24 June 2006, instrument rating (IR(A)) from 23 June 2005 to 24 June 2006, and English radiotelephony. His total flight hours and hours on type were unknown. The pilot had previously flown to Villamartín on 21 June and 5-6 July 2010.
Investigations and Analysis
The aerodrome was a private facility with a 560 m by 15 m asphalt runway, authorized for daytime visual flight rules (VFR) only. The weather reported by the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) indicated light wind from the south-southwest (180°–220°) at 2 to 9 knots, with gusts up to 14 knots, temperatures between 20°C and 22°C, clear skies or few clouds, and no significant meteorological phenomena. The investigation found that the aircraft likely took off with a shallow climb path and may have reached a higher altitude before losing height. The impact occurred with the aircraft in controlled flight, and no evidence suggested the pilot took evasive action. The absence of ground marks between the first and second impact, the condition of the propeller indicating high-energy impact with engine power, and the lack of any sunflower damage between impact points indicated that the pilot was unaware of the imminent collision.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was spatial disorientation of the pilot caused by the inability to perceive external references due to low visibility conditions during a night flight conducted under VFR.