What happened
On August 8, 2002, a Cessna 337G, registration EC-EDB, was conducting a commercial search and rescue operation along the coast of Murcia, Spain. The mission involved searching for a diver who had gone missing the previous day. During the final pass of the flight, the camera operator noticed an object near a cliffside area. As the pilot maneuvered the aircraft to investigate the sighting, the aircraft was struck by a downward air current.
Despite the pilot's attempt to recover the aircraft by increasing engine power, the aircraft lost altitude and impacted the water approximately 100 meters from the coast. The aircraft sank to a depth of between 10 and 15 meters. The two crew members managed to exit the submerged aircraft by diving and subsequently swam to the shoreline, where they were rescued by a participating search helicopter. The aircraft sustained significant damage due to the impact and submersion in saltwater.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence, the meteorological conditions, and the aircraft's performance. The crew had been flying for 3.5 hours of a planned 4-hour mission. Investigators reviewed the engine performance, noting that the engines responded correctly to the pilot's demand for increased power during the incident.
Meteorological data from nearby stations indicated varying wind conditions, with the pilot and rescue crew reporting northeast winds between 10 and 15 knots. The investigation also analyzed the local topography, noting the presence of steep cliffs in the area which are prone to aerodynamic disturbances.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating with a valid certificate of airworthiness and had been maintained according to the approved program.
- The engines functioned correctly and increased revolutions following the power demand.
- The aircraft was flying in an area with abrupt topography.
- The loss of control was likely caused by the combined effect of a downdraft or lee eddy and a reduction in altitude and airspeed as the pilot attempted to visually identify the object spotted by the camera operator.