On June 6, 2009, a Cessna 303 Crusader (registration HC-BRD) operated by Private Ecuadorian was involved in an aviation accident near Santa Rosa del Toachi, Ecuador in flight. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot attempted to fly under visual flight rules while operating in instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in an impact with the terrain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A twin-engine aircraft crashed into wooded, hilly terrain in the Santa Rosa del Toachi Mountain Range during poor weather conditions, resulting in one fatality.
What happened
During a flight through adverse weather, a twin engine aircraft struck trees and crashed within the rugged, hilly landscape of the Santa Disrosa del Toachi Mountain Range. The wreckage was discovered by search teams several hours after the initial impact. At the time of the accident, there was only one person on board the aircraft. The pilot was killed in the crash.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the aircraft was being operated under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) while flying through Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). This led to a controlled flight into terrain as the pilot navigated the mountainous region during periods of low visibility.
Probable cause
The pilot attempted to fly under visual flight rules while operating in instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in an impact with the terrain.