Summary
On 17 October 2006, a Piper PA-32 aircraft, registration D-EJTF, impacted the south face of Mount "Cruz del Castillo" near Laguardia (Álava), Spain. The aircraft was destroyed by fire and all three occupants—the pilot, copilot, and passenger—died.
Flight History
The aircraft had departed Düsseldorf-Mönchengladbach Airport in Germany on the previous day, 16 October 2006, at 12:25 local time, with a flight plan to Vitoria. En route, the crew diverted to Logroño Airport, landing at 17:45. After landing, the pilot inquired about refueling but was informed that Logroño did not have AVGAS 100LL fuel.
On the morning of 17 October, the pilot, safety pilot, and passenger attended a business meeting in Logroño. The pilot arrived at Logroño Airport's operations office at 11:30, paid fees, and obtained weather information from the AMA terminal, including METARs, TAFs, a low-level significant weather chart, and a wind/temperature chart for FL50. The safety pilot and passenger arrived at 13:40. A 35-minute delay occurred due to a security access issue.
The aircraft took off from Logroño Airport at 14:38 on a VFR flight plan to Vitoria, intending to refuel before continuing to Germany. Departure was from runway 11. Once airborne, the pilot requested clearance to proceed directly to the Vitoria VOR (VRA), but the controller denied this and directed the aircraft to leave the CTR and LER99 via the Northwest corridor, requesting notification upon reaching point NW1 (Viana). The pilot acknowledged.
Minutes later, the Logroño control tower received a call from the aircraft reporting arrival at point NW1. The controller instructed the pilot to continue on the Northwest corridor to point NW. The aircraft then crashed into Mount Cruz del Castillo.
Aircraft and Occupants
The aircraft was a Piper PA-32, registration D-EJTF, privately owned and operated. It was a single-engine piston aircraft. The three occupants were the pilot, a second pilot (safety pilot), and a passenger. The pilot held a private pilot license with appropriate ratings, and the second pilot also held a license. The flight was classified as general aviation business.
Weather and Flight Conditions
The pilot obtained weather forecasts and reports prior to departure. The flight was conducted under visual flight rules (VFR). The investigation concluded that the most likely cause of the accident was the continuation of a visual flight under meteorological conditions that had deteriorated below minimum requirements.
Wreckage and Impact
The aircraft impacted terrain on the south face of Mount Cruz del Castillo. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and a post-crash fire ensued. All three occupants died. No other damage or injuries occurred on the ground.
Investigation
The Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) investigated the accident. The investigation included examination of the wreckage, weather reports, and eyewitness statements. The final report was approved on 27 February 2008.