What happened
On March 5, 2016, at approximately 06:36 local time, a Piper PA25-235, registration CX-BQL-R, was performing a repositioning flight from Artigas International Airport to an agricultural operation area known as "La Chiquita." The flight took place during the morning twilight.
After departing Artigas, the aircraft deviated from a direct course to intercept Route 3 and fly along the highway. During this segment, the aircraft maintained an extremely low altitude, often not exceeding 50 meters, and in some sections, as low as 20 meters above the terrain. While traversing the highway near kilometer 99, the aircraft's right wheel struck a vehicle traveling in the same direction. The impact caused the aircraft to strike the pavement with its propeller and right landing gear. Despite the impact, the aircraft regained enough lift to fly approximately 540 meters before coming to a rest in a nearby field.
The collision resulted in two serious injuries to the occupants of the vehicle. The pilot of the aircraft escaped without injury, and the aircraft sustained minor damage to the propeller and landing gear.
The investigation
The CIAIA investigation examined the flight path using data extracted from a handheld GPS unit found in the cockpit, as well as Google Earth terrain analysis. The investigation reviewed the pilot's credentials, the aircraft's maintenance records, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident.
Investigators inspected the engine components, including the magnetos, spark plugs, and fuel, to rule out mechanical failure. While discrepancies were noted regarding the serial numbers of the propeller and magnetos compared to the aircraft's logs, and the propeller lacked its own documentation, no mechanical malfunction was identified as a cause for the descent. The investigation also confirmed that the weather conditions were favorable for VFR flight and that the pilot was properly licensed and medically certified.
Findings
- The aircraft was flying at an unsafe altitude, significantly below the required safety margins for a repositioning flight.
- The flight path deviated from the direct route to the destination, instead following the trajectory of the highway.
- The low altitude left the pilot with insufficient time or distance to avoid the vehicle on the road.
- The aircraft was flying at a low altitude over a highway, providing insufficient time and space to avoid a collision with a vehicle.