What happened
On October 11, 2020, a SCHEIBE SF25E touring motor glider, registration F-CHCC, departed from the La Axarquía Aerodrome (LEAX) in Trapiche, Málaga, for a local flight. The aircraft was carrying two occupants: the pilot and one passenger.
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot transmitted via radio that he was feeling unwell and dizzy. According to the passenger, the pilot subsequently lost consciousness. While the pilot remained upright due to his safety harness, he was completely incapacitated and unable to control the aircraft or provide instructions to the passenger, who had no flight training.
Witnesses at the aerodrome heard the passenger announce the pilot's condition over the radio. During the subsequent flight, the aircraft performed several erratic maneuvers at low altitude. The passenger attempted to land the aircraft on runway 12, but after two failed attempts involving steep descents and climbs, the aircraft entered a stall. The aircraft struck the aerodrome's perimeter fence with its left wing before impacting the ground. The impact caused the engine to break from its mounts and the aircraft to come to rest in a horizontal position.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation focused on the sequence of events following the pilot's radio transmission. Investigators reviewed witness accounts from individuals on the ground, including flight instructors and other pilots, as well as video footage captured by a witness near a flight school. The footage confirmed a steep left bank of nearly 90 degrees just before the impact.
Medical examinations of the pilot revealed no presence of toxic substances. The investigation also noted that the passenger attempted to use the flight controls to approach the runway, but his lack of training led to critical maneuvers. The investigation established that the aircraft's high glide ratio, combined with the engine being at approximately 80% power, caused the aircraft to recover altitude temporarily after the passenger released the controls, before the final stall occurred.
Findings
- The pilot's sudden medical incapacitation was the primary cause of the accident.
- The passenger, having no flight experience, performed improper control inputs, including a sharp pull on the control column that induced a stall.
- The aircraft sustained extensive damage, and the pilot was killed in the impact, while the passenger sustained serious injuries.
- The aircraft, a SCHEIBE SF25E, was destroyed during the crash.