Summary
On February 20, 2025, at 5:05 PM local time (23:05 UTC), a Cessna 152, registration YS-138P, operated by a flight school (CAAA), suffered an accident during a training flight at Ilopango International Airport. The aircraft, used for instrument flight instruction, was occupied by an instructor and a student. Both occupants sustained serious injuries. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact sequence.
Flight Details
The flight was a private instrument training flight in sector 2 of the airport. During the approach to landing, the aircraft encountered a headwind that caused an ascent in the descent path. The crew made adjustments to maintain trajectory and control. Subsequently, the aircraft experienced an abrupt lift and loss of stability. The pilot applied power during the maneuver. The aircraft then lost lateral directional stability and impacted the runway laterally with its left wing, causing structural damage to that section and loss of directional control. The lateral impact caused the aircraft to veer at an uncontrolled angle. This was followed by a frontal impact with the runway that affected the fuselage and caused severe structural damage. The aircraft came to rest on the runway with considerable damage.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Cessna 152, serial number 15280281, manufactured in 1977. It held a valid airworthiness certificate issued on March 22, 2024, valid until March 22, 2025. The aircraft's weight and balance were within limits as per the last recorded data. The aircraft was equipped with a single engine and fixed landing gear.
Injuries and Damage
Both occupants (instructor and student) suffered serious injuries. No fatalities or minor injuries were reported. The aircraft sustained significant damage: structural deformation of the fuselage, left wing fracture, propeller blade separation, engine mount damage, and internal component damage including fuel leaks from wing tanks and deformation of control cable pulleys. The runway sustained minor damage.
Personnel
The instructor held a Commercial Pilot License (No. 1747) with ratings for single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument instructor. His total logged flight time was 196.54 hours, with only 3.12 hours on the accident aircraft. The student held a Private Pilot License (No. 2533) with a single-engine land rating, totaling 50 flight hours, of which 43 were on the Cessna 152. Both pilots held valid medical certificates at the time of the accident. No previous accidents were recorded for either pilot.
Weather and Environment
According to the investigation, the aircraft encountered a headwind during the approach that caused an ascent in the descent path. No other weather information was provided.
Investigation
The investigation was conducted by the Accident and Incident Investigation Department of the Civil Aviation Authority (AAC) of El Salvador in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 and local regulations. The purpose of the investigation was to prevent future accidents, not to assign blame or liability. The investigation included analysis of aircraft wreckage, maintenance records, pilot qualifications, and operational factors.