Accident Overview
On 19 February 2025 at approximately 4:00 p.m. local time, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, registration YS-05P, crashed during an instrument instruction flight near Lake Ilopango, El Salvador. The aircraft was operated by a flight school and carried a commercial pilot instructor and a student pilot. Both occupants were uninjured.
Flight History
The flight was the fourth of the day for the aircraft, which departed around 3:00 p.m. for instrument training. For 35 minutes, the crew conducted practice approaches under air traffic control (ATC) guidance from the Ilopango Tower. The tower instructed the crew to extend their approach and hold at various distances, first 8 miles then 5 miles, to give priority to other traffic. While maneuvering at approximately 4,500 feet, the instructor noticed a drop in engine RPM from 2,300 to 2,000, followed by vibration, a further drop to 1,500 RPM, and a sudden engine stoppage.
Emergency Landing
The crew declared an emergency and searched for a safe landing area. The aircraft executed a forced landing on a golf course in the Corinto area of San Martín municipality. During the landing, the nose landing gear collapsed, causing structural damage to the support, shock absorber, and drag link. The collapse also damaged surrounding components, including the air intake for the fuel system. No other significant damage was observed to the fuselage or propeller.
Aircraft and Engine Details
The aircraft was a 1978 Piper PA-38-112 (serial number 38-78A0755) with a normal category airworthiness certificate renewed on 6 February 2025. The engine was a Lycoming O-235-L2C (serial L-17231) that had undergone an overhaul on 3 February 2025, accumulating approximately 10 hours of operation post-overhaul. At the time of the accident, the engine had less than 50 hours since overhaul. Post-accident inspection revealed incorrect torque on the oil drain plug and an oil leak under the engine. Loose wires were found behind the cockpit instruments on the right side. The aircraft had not completed its first 50-hour inspection following the overhaul.
Communication and ATC Involvement
Throughout the flight, the crew maintained communication with the tower and approach control. During the emergency, the pilot attempted to notify the tower but the headset's push-to-talk switch did not function. He also tried to set the transponder to the emergency code 7700, but communication was not established.
Investigation Findings
The investigation identified safety issues related to the engine overhaul process and quality control within the flight school's technical area. No pre-existing weather conditions were identified as contributing factors. The investigation resulted in two safety recommendations directed to the Civil Aviation Authority (AAC).