What happened
On 17 October 2006, a Piper PA-32, registration D-EJTF, crashed into the south face of Mount “Cruz del Castillo” in Laguardia, Spain. The aircraft was performing a general aviation business flight from Logroño to Vitoria.
After landing in Logroño the previous day, the crew had modified their flight plan to include a stop in Vitoria to refuel, as Logroño lacked AVGAS100LL. The flight departed Logroño at 14:38 on a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan. During the flight, the pilot requested clearance to head directly for the Vitoria VOR, but was instructed to follow a specific northwest visual corridor. The pilot reported reaching a waypoint at 14:41, but no further contact was established.
Following a search initiated by the Vitoria tower, the wreckage was located at 19:20 that evening. The impact destroyed the aircraft and triggered a fire. All three occupants (the pilot, a safety pilot, and one passenger) perished in the accident.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance records, meteorological data, and the pilot's flight preparations. Investigators analyzed the wreckage, noting that the engine was producing power at the time of impact and that the flight controls were fully functional.
Meteorological reports indicated a cold front was moving through the area, bringing rain showers, mountain obscuration, and cloud bases as low as 2,000 feet. Eyewitnesses in the area reported low-lying clouds obscuring the mountains at the time of the accident. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's communications with the Logroño tower, which revealed a lack of familiarity with the specific departure procedures and visual corridors required for the airport.
Findings
- The aircraft was airworthy and had undergone all required maintenance.
- The pilot's flight planning was inadequate, specifically regarding the study of departure procedures, terrain elevations, and weather forecasts.
- The pilot intended to fly at 3,500 feet, which was insufficient to clear the surrounding mountains, some of which exceed 4,700 feet.
- The crew likely lost visual ground references due to deteriorating weather and chose to continue VFR flight under instrument meteorological conditions.
- The accident had the characteristics of a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).