What happened
On September 20, 2003, a SOCATA TB-10 Tobago, registration EC-FTI, was conducting a solo instructional flight near Salamanca Airport. The pilot, a student with 79 total flight hours, had departed from runway 21 to perform maneuvers in an area south of the airport, including slow flight and coordinated turns.
After approximately one hour of maneuvers, the pilot decided to return to the airport and intended to perform several take-off and landing practices. While flying at approximately 1,500 feet, the aircraft began a rapid descent and a right-hand bank. The aircraft crossed a power line, traversed the SA-114 road, and struck the terrain near Garcihernández. The impact was high-speed and resulted in the aircraft flipping upside down. The pilot sustained serious injuries, including two fractured vertebrae, and required hospitalization.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the flight path, noting that the first point of impact was the right wingtip, which caused the aircraft to bank at a 34-degree angle to the right. The debris trail indicated a high-speed, shallow-angle impact.
Technical inspection of the SOCATA TB-10 revealed that the engine and propeller were functioning with power at the moment of impact. The engine and propeller levers were set to maximum power, and the control surfaces—including ailerons, elevators, and rudder—were found to be free and functional prior to the crash. While some control linkages were broken, evidence showed these failures occurred due to the force of the impact rather than pre-existing mechanical issues. The pilot also reported a period of memory loss immediately following the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft was in a descending, right-hand banking attitude at the time of the collision.
- The engine and all primary flight control systems were operational and functional prior to the impact.
- The most probable cause was an unconscious action by the pilot on the controls, resulting in the descent and right-hand bank.