History of the Flight
On 22 October 2014, a Diamond DA42 aircraft, registration 5B-CLI, operated by Griffon Aviation Ltd, an approved training organisation, departed from Paphos Airport at 15:20 UTC on an IFR flight plan to Beirut International Airport. The aircraft was crewed by two pilots: a pilot in command and another pilot.
Loss of Contact and Crash
The aircraft was in contact with Nicosia ATC. At 16:02:25 UTC, while flying at 9,000 feet about 47 NM southeast of the Larnaca coast, Nicosia ATC lost contact with the aircraft. Two minutes later, the aircraft disappeared from radar and crashed into the sea. The sea depth at the crash site is approximately 2,000 metres.
Injuries and Damage
Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft was completely destroyed on impact with the sea. Main parts, including the engines and cockpit, came to rest on the seabed and were not recovered. Small pieces of wreckage, the largest about a metre in size, were collected from the sea and stored at Larnaca Airport.
Investigation
The investigation was conducted by the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Board (AAIIB) using radar tracks from three different radars, ATC transcripts, and a Diamond DA42 simulator. No other damage occurred.