Accident Overview
On 2 August 2007, at 19:59 local time, a Piper PA-38 Tomahawk, registration EC-DRL, took off from Cuatro Vientos Airport on a dual instruction flight under visual flight rules. The aircraft was operated by Aero Madrid, S.A. On board were an instructor and a student pilot. The instructor had recently begun his instructing activity, and the student was on his second dual practice flight.
Sequence of Events
While over the municipality of Villanueva de la Cañada, the aircraft departed from straight and level flight, initiating a right turn followed by a strong roll and descent. The crew was unable to recover the aircraft. The aircraft struck the ground in a level attitude with a slight nose-down pitch. Both occupants died in the impact, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Investigation Findings
The investigation considered aspects related to the crew composition, the operational history of the aircraft type, and the organization of the training center. The most probable cause of the accident was determined to be an inadvertent stall entry during the execution of a low-altitude traffic maneuver with a simulated engine failure.
Safety Recommendation
The report issued one safety recommendation.