What happened
On April 29, 2024, a Cessna 152, registration HK2328G, was conducting a solo training flight from Santiago Vila Airport (SKGI) in Flandes, Tolima. The student pilot had been instructed by Air Traffic Control to proceed to training area SKE21 due to unfavorable weather conditions in the student's originally requested area, SKE19.
Despite this warning, the pilot proceeded toward the SKE19 area. After crossing the GIR VOR, the aircraft began a descent to establish an altitude of 4,000 feet or below. Shortly thereafter, radar contact was lost. The aircraft subsequently impacted the ground at a 163-degree heading in the Vereda La Chamba region of El Guamo. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and the student pilot sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation focused on the flight operations, maintenance, and organizational oversight of the flight school. Investigators examined the student's flight logs, which revealed several procedural irregularities. Specifically, the investigation found that certain required training missions (P8 and P13) were not conducted with a different instructor as mandated by the school's manual, and the student had completed several additional flight hours without documented justification or deficiency notes.
Furthermore, the investigation scrutinized the flight school's management of solo flights. It was established that the school failed to provide the required supervision or assistance during the planning and dispatch of the solo flight. The investigation also noted that the school's operational manuals had not been updated since 2016–2017, hindering the implementation of modern safety standards.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was spatial disorientation experienced by the student pilot upon entering Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) while flying toward an unassigned training area.
- The student pilot failed to follow ATC instructions and did not avoid deteriorating weather, choosing to continue toward the unsuitable area instead of returning to the departure airfield.
- The flight school failed to comply with its own training manuals regarding human factor management, specifically failing to supervise or provide oversight for the solo flight.
- There was a lack of instructor presence or ground-based monitoring to support the student's decision-making process.
- Organizational failures included inadequate risk analysis (FRAT) and a lack of oversight regarding the student's progress and flight authorization.