Accident Details
On Saturday, 14 December 2024, at 11:20 UTC (12:20 local time), a BELLANCA 8KCAB aircraft, registration EC-NSJ, was performing an aerobatic maneuver, a barrel roll, over the runway of La Axarquía – Leoni Benabú aerodrome in Vélez-Málaga, Málaga. During the maneuver, the aircraft lost altitude and impacted the ground before completing the roll. It slid several meters and fell into the dry bed of the Benamargosa River, which runs alongside the aerodrome. The aircraft crossed the dry riverbed and struck vegetation on the opposite bank, where it came to rest. The aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot, the sole occupant, died.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a BELLANCA 8KCAB, powered by a single Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A engine. It was operated privately. The pilot, aged 49, held a Private Pilot License (PPL(A)) valid until 31 August 2025, with a total flight time of 4407 hours and 3 minutes. The number of flight hours on the accident type was unknown. The flight was classified as a non-commercial demonstration operation under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), and the phase of flight was maneuvering/acrobatics.
Investigation
The investigation, conducted by the Spanish Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC), is focused on gathering information related to flight planning and the execution of the maneuver. As of the provisional report dated 17 December 2025, the investigation is ongoing, with further analysis of the collected data planned. No probable cause has been determined at this stage.