What happened
On October 8, 2017, a Piper J3C65, registration CX-AEM, was involved in an accident near Costa del Tigre, San José. The flight began as a recreational excursion following a social gathering. After performing a low pass over the water to greet onlookers, the pilot landed on the beach to exchange a passenger.
Upon departing the beach heading east, the pilot attempted a right-hand turn at a very low altitude. During this maneuver, the aircraft failed to maintain flight, causing the right wingtip to strike the water. The impact caused the aircraft to spin, striking the left wing and partially detaching it from the fuselage, while the propeller also sustained damage.
Both the pilot and the passenger managed to evacuate the aircraft and attempted to swim to the shore. While the pilot successfully reached the coastline, the passenger was unable to do so. Despite search efforts by the Navy, Air Force, and other agencies, the passenger's body was not recovered until the following day.
The investigation
The CIAIA investigation focused on the aircraft's configuration, weight, and the pilot's operational decisions. Investigators examined the aircraft's weight and balance, discovering that the plane was operating significantly overweight. The maximum certified weight for the aircraft is 1,170 lbs, but the estimated weight at the time of the accident was approximately 1,284 lbs.
Furthermore, the investigation found that the aircraft was equipped with an unauthorized supplemental fuel tank in the left wing, for which no Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) was found. The investigation also noted that the pilot had not performed a thorough pre-flight inspection and was unaware of the aircraft's actual center of gravity or total weight. The pilot's flight history showed significant gaps in experience with this specific aircraft type, having not flown it regularly for many years.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating outside of its certified center of gravity and weight limits.
- The pilot's excess of confidence and complacency regarding the aircraft's performance capabilities led to an unsafe maneuver.
- The pilot attempted a low-altitude turn without achieving sufficient airspeed or altitude to recover from a potential stall.
- Environmental factors, including a descending tailwind and changes in air density over the water, contributed to the loss of lift.
- The aircraft was equipped with an uncertified additional fuel tank in the left wing.
- The pilot failed to conduct an adequate pre-flight inspection to verify the aircraft's weight and balance status.