What happened
On December 4, 2016, at approximately 12:10 p.m., a Cessna C-172R, registration HI-807, crashed in the vicinity of Sabana de la Cruz, Valle Nuevo, Constanza, Dominican Republic. The aircraft was performing a private flight originating from Aeropuerto Internacional Dr. Joaquín Balaguer (MDJB) and was en route to the Constanza Aerodrome (MDCZ).
During the flight, the aircraft entered a region of sudden low visibility. While navigating through mountainous terrain, the aircraft struck trees before impacting the ground, eventually coming to rest in an inverted position. The impact caused the destruction of the aircraft. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, while the two other occupants suffered varying degrees of injury, including one person with serious injuries and another with minor injuries.
The investigation
The CIAA investigation examined the flight path, meteorological conditions, and the pilot' and aircraft's operational status. Radar data indicated that the aircraft was flying below the minimum required altitude for the sector and was executing significant changes in both heading and airspeed.
Investigators noted that the pilot was utilizing an unusual southeast-to-northwest route, which presented greater challenges due to higher elevations and geographical obstacles compared to the standard northeast-southwest approach. This was also the pilot's first flight following the completion of instrument flight training. The investigation also reviewed the meteorological reports from ONAMET, which indicated unstable weather and cloud cover in the Central Mountain Range at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft encountered sudden low visibility, leading to a loss of visual contact with the terrain.
- The pilot was operating below the minimum altitude established for the area.
- The chosen flight path was non-standard and involved higher terrain and more significant obstacles than the typical route.
- Adverse meteorological conditions, including cloud cover and precipitation in the mountainous region, contributed to the accident.
- The aircraft was in a valid state of airworthiness and had no reported mechanical malfunctions prior to the impact.