What happened
On May 1, 2022, at approximately 21:40 UTC, a Cessna 182P, registration CP-1123, was conducting a flight from Trinidad (SLTR) to Santa Ana de Yacuma (SLSA) in the Beni Department of Bolivia. While cruising at 2,500 feet and approximately 20 nautical miles from the destination, the pilot reported that the engine began to vibrate heavily and run roughly.
The sudden nature of the mechanical failure prevented the pilot from declaring an emergency via radio. The aircraft subsequently performed an emergency landing on the surface of Laguna Tigre. Upon impact, the aircraft landed nose-first, causing the nose gear to break and the airframe to capsize, leaving the plane inverted in the water. The two occupants—the pilot and one passenger—were able to exit through the right-side door and spent the night atop the fuselage awaiting rescue.
An emergency search and rescue (SAR) flight departed Santa Ana de Yacuma the following morning and located the aircraft approximately 500 meters from the shoreline at 10:43 UTC. Both occupants were found to be uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation by the Bolivian AIG unit examined the aircraft's technical logs, the pilot's history, and the flight maneuvers performed during the emergency. Investigators noted significant discrepancies in the aircraft's maintenance logs, specifically regarding inconsistent engine and tachometer hour readings between different inspection dates.
Analysis of the flight performance indicated that while the aircraft's glide capability from 2,500 feet at the required 70 knots would have allowed for a glide distance of approximately 4 nautical miles—sufficient to clear the lagoon—the pilot did not follow established engine-out procedures. Furthermore, the investigation noted that the pilot had been involved in two previous accidents (in 2019 and 2020) where lack of training and situational awareness were identified as contributing factors.
Findings
- The exact cause of the engine failure remains undetermined because the engine and propeller sank to the bottom of the lagoon during the incident and could not be recovered for inspection.
- A significant contributing factor was the pilot's failure to properly execute emergency procedures, specifically failing to maintain the recommended 70 KIAS airspeed to maximize glide distance and failing to execute a proper landing attitude (the pilot allowed the nose to drop before impact).
- Discrepancies were found in the aircraft's technical documentation regarding engine and tachometer time tracking.
- The pilot had a documented history of previous accidents related to inadequate training for abnormal situations.