What happened
On October 19, 2019, a Cessna 182N, registration HK1462, was performing a non-scheduled passenger air taxi flight from Mitú to the Piedra Ñi landing strip in the Vaupés department, Colombia. After successfully completing the outbound leg and returning to Mitú, the aircraft departed for its final destination at 14:21 HL.
While descending approximately 6 nautical miles from the Mitú airport, the aircraft experienced a sudden and severe loss of engine power accompanied by heavy engine detonation. This resulted in a rapid loss of airspeed and altitude. The pilot attempted to perform an emergency landing near the Vaupés River. During the final stages of the descent, the left wing of the aircraft struck a tree, causing a loss of control. The aircraft plummeted through the vegetation and came to rest in a vertical position, suspended by trees, approximately 1.4 NM from the threshold of runway 02 at Mitú.
The pilot sustained a serious injury, specifically an open fracture of the right humerus, and required assistance from local bystanders to evacuate the wreckage. The aircraft suffered substantial structural damage, including damage to all flight control surfaces, cockpit deformation, and landing gear separation.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation focused on the engine's performance and the maintenance history of the aircraft. Investigators examined the engine following the impact and discovered that of the eight spark plugs installed in the four cylinders, only two were functional. The remaining six plugs were heavily fouled by carbonization and moisture.
Furthermore, the investigation reviewed the maintenance records provided by the contracted maintenance organization (TAR). It was noted that while inspections were logged, they lacked detailed descriptions of the actual condition of the components found. The investigation also evaluated the operator's oversight of the maintenance performed by the external workshop.