2013 Socata TB-10 Tobago accident in Vallesa de Guareña (EC-FPN)

Overview and flight details On 9 August 2013, a Socata TB-10 Tobago with registration EC-FPN, operated by Adventia, European Aviation College, S. A., departed the airport of Salamanca for a local training flight. The sole person on board was a student pilot. The preflight external inspection and engine test did not reveal any problem. ## Engine irregularity and emergency landing About 20 minutes after takeoff, while flying over Vallesa de Guareña in the province of Zamora, roughly 40 km from the airport, the engine began to run irregularly and did not respond to the pilot's attempts to adjust power. The oil pressure and temperature, fuel pressure and level, and voltmeter indications remained within normal limits. Unable to maintain the 3,600 ft altitude, the pilot informed air traffic control of the intention to make an emergency landing. The aircraft landed in a harvested grain field. During the rollout it crossed the property fence, which reduced its speed but did not stop it completely; it came to rest against the bank of a stream. The pilot was uninjured, and the aircraft suffered major damage, described as practically irrecoverable. ## Damage and investigation findings Damage was concentrated mainly on the landing gear, engine mount, wing, and the front-lower part of the engine compartment. The investigation identified that the magneto cam underwent a process of overheating that caused loss of its lubrication capacity. This affected the normal operation of the breaker points and their ability to produce the appropriate spark at the spark plugs.