Incident Overview
On Friday, May 2, 2003, a Cessna 150 L, registration EC-HKE, departed from Casarrubios del Monte Aerodrome for a private recreational flight over the Community of Madrid. The aircraft was operated by Centair, S.L. and powered by a single Teledyne Continental O-200-A engine. The pilot, aged 29, held a commercial pilot license issued in June 2002; his total flight hours and hours on type were unknown. One passenger was on board.
Sequence of Events
During the flight, the engine experienced a loss of power followed by a complete stop. The pilot executed an emergency landing in an unprepared field near Tielmes, within the municipality of Tielmes, Madrid. Upon touchdown, the landing gear broke, and the aircraft overturned. Both occupants exited without injury and left the scene on their own. The exact coordinates of the accident site were 40°15’55’’ N and 3°19’17’’ W.
Post-Accident Status
The accident was not reported to the CIAIAC (Comisión de Investigación de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviación Civil) by the operator or by the judicial police who opened an investigation. The wreckage remained exposed to the elements and unauthorized removal of components for nearly a year, until it was discovered by the Guardia Civil Helicopter Group on June 1, 2004. The condition of the wreckage made it impossible to determine the cause of the engine failure.
Probable Cause
The accident was caused by an emergency landing in an unprepared field, resulting in a landing gear failure and overturn, due to a loss of power and engine stop for reasons that could not be determined.