What happened
On October 28, 2013, at approximately 20:30 local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, registration EC-KPC, operated by CANAVIA, crashed into the Palo Blanco ravine in the municipality of Agaete, Gran Canaria. The aircraft was conducting a night Visual Flight Rules (VFR) training flight as part of a student pilot's night rating course.
The flight departed from Gran Canaria Airport at 19:58 with three occupants on board, including a student pilot and an instructor. After performing maneuvers near the coast between La Isleta and El Pagador, the crew requested authorization to circumnavigate the island in a counter-clockwise direction. The aircraft initially flew west along the coastline but then turned southwest near La Furnia, crossing the northwestern tip of the island.
As the aircraft continued its course, it turned south toward the coastline. While flying over the Puerto de las Nieves area, the aircraft moved inland and impacted a mountain wall in the Palo Blanco ravine at an altitude of approximately 1,700 feet.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined the wreckage, radar tracks, and meteorological conditions. The analysis of the aircraft debris revealed that the engine was producing power at the moment of impact, and the damage to the propeller indicated a frontal collision. The symmetry of the damage to the wings and the lack of deformation in the fuselage suggested the aircraft was in straight and level flight, with no evidence of any last-minute evasive maneuvers.
Investigators determined that the flight plan for circumnavigating the island had not been formally prepared, meaning the crew was navigating by dead reckoning and relying heavily on visual references. During the final phase of the flight, the aircraft was in an area with no radio navigation aid coverage and was flying over unpopulated terrain.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an error in acquiring visual references, which led the crew to mistake the eastern slope of the Palo Blanco ravine for the island's coastline.
- The lack of light from ground sources and the absence of moonlight contributed to the difficulty in identifying terrain.
- Low cloud cover and possible drizzle further degraded visibility.
- The lack of a pre-planned flight path for the circumnavigation meant the crew was navigating without established waypoints.
- The aircraft was flying at an altitude that was insufficient for the mountainous terrain, likely due to the need to stay below the low cloud ceiling to maintain VFR conditions.