What happened
On September 21, 2005, at 12:05 local time, a Robin R-118 and0-T, registration EC-DFB, operated by Paisajes Españoles, crashed in the urban area of Badía del Vallés, Barcelona. The aircraft had departed from Sabadell Airport on runway 13 at 12:03 for a scheduled aerial photography mission.
Only 25 seconds after receiving takeoff clearance, the pilot contacted the tower to request a return to the airport, without declaring an emergency or reporting any technical issues. During the subsequent flight, the pilot communicated with air traffic control regarding the chosen return maneuver while being informed of preceding traffic performing a turn in the same direction. At 12:04:42, the pilot confirmed an altitude of 1,000 feet. Approximately 20 seconds later, the aircraft struck a tree and subsequently the ground, resulting in two fatalities.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence, aircraft maintenance, and cockpit environment. Investigators noted that the aircraft's center of gravity was slightly forward of the limits established in the flight manual. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's recent flight history, noting he had operated a different twin-engine aircraft earlier that morning.
Physical evidence at the scene showed the aircraft struck a tree with a high vertical component and a nose-down attitude. The impact was severe enough to break the propeller shaft and destroy the cockpit. The investigation also noted discrepancies between the aircraft's logbook entries and the actual hours shown on the tachometer.
Findings
- The accident was caused by an uncontrolled stall leading to impact with the terrain.
- A potential contributing factor was the sudden appearance of an unforeseen event in the cockpit shortly after takeoff, which may have caused a distraction.
- The pilot's desire to quickly resolve an issue on the ground and return to the mission may have led to an impatient execution of the turn.
- The presence of preceding traffic performing a turn in the same direction may have influenced the pilot to accelerate the maneuver.
- Differences in handling characteristics between the Robin R-1180-T and the aircraft the pilot had operated earlier that day may have played a role.
- The aircraft was operating with a center of gravity slightly forward of the permitted limits.