History of the Flight
On Friday, July 19, 2019, the Piper PA-28-140 aircraft, registration EC-GDC, owned by M Aerospace Fly, S.L., was rented by a pilot and his passenger for a local private flight with origin and destination at Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport (LECU). The pilot carried out pre-flight checks, including oil and fuel levels, without finding anything out of the ordinary. Both fuel tanks were filled. The engine was started at 10:00 local time, but take-off was delayed until approximately 10:30 due to airport traffic congestion. The engine test was correct, and take-off occurred without incident.
The aircraft flew towards the Buendía reservoir. The flight proceeded without incident until approximately 12:30 local time. At that time, when the aircraft was at about 3,500 ft, it began to vibrate, and the engine revolutions decreased by about 600 rpm, settling at approximately 1,900–2,000 rpm. The speed was approximately 85 knots, and the flight was straight and level with flaps retracted and advanced power control set to obtain between 2,300 and 2,350 rpm for level flight.
According to the pilot's testimony, he attempted to recover the situation, but the aircraft lost altitude without possibility of recovery. He declared an emergency and landed on a nearby cornfield.
Injuries and Damage
Both the pilot and his passenger suffered minor injuries. The aircraft sustained significant damage.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the cause of the accident was the performance of an emergency off-airfield landing in a cornfield, due to an in-flight engine power loss.