Cessna 152 EC-JMJ Emergency Landing in Santa Cruz de Mena

Incident Overview and Flight Details On Friday, April 16, 2010, at approximately 11:25 local time, a Cessna 152 with registration EC-JMJ made an emergency landing in a grassy field near Santa Cruz de Mena, in the province of Burgos, Spain. The aircraft was operated by Aerolink and was conducting a general aviation flight for the purpose of an instructor verification check. The flight departed from Bilbao airport at 10:30 local time after pre-flight checks revealed no abnormalities. The objective was to conduct an examination for the single-engine land airplane flight instructor rating under visual flight rules. The flight plan included visual navigation in the southern area of Bilbao and maneuvers around Villasana de Mena, which involved 45-degree banked turns, slow flight, stalls, and simulated engine failures. ## Sequence of Events During the flight, two simulated engine failure maneuvers were performed. The first was aborted because the selected landing field was deemed inadequate during the descent, and the aircraft safely recovered to cruise flight. During the second simulated engine failure, the pilot reported that the engine did not respond to full power when the throttle was advanced. The pilot assumed control of the aircraft and prepared for an emergency landing. The aircraft was secured with seatbelts fastened, doors unlocked, full flaps, mixture and throttle cut, magnetos and master switch off, and fuel valve closed. The emergency landing was executed in a field with low grass and a positive slope, near a farm and the village of Santa Cruz de Mena. Both occupants exited the aircraft under their own power and were uninjured. The aircraft sustained minor damage to the left wing, propeller, engine mount, lower engine cowling, exhaust pipe, and nose gear, which broke with the wheel detached. ## Aircraft and Maintenance Information The Cessna 152, serial number 152-83980, was manufactured in 1980. It is a single-engine, metal, tricycle-gear, high-wing aircraft with a capacity for two seats and a maximum authorized weight of 758 kg. The aircraft was equipped with a 110 HP Lycoming O-235-L2C engine and a fixed-pitch propeller with a high angle of incidence (long pitch), which provided high induced drag and slower angular acceleration during engine power changes. The aircraft had completed its scheduled 100-hour airframe and engine inspection on March 16, 2010, with 1,648 engine hours and 11,676 airframe hours. At the time of the incident, the aircraft had 1,669 engine hours and 11,697 airframe hours. It held a valid Certificate of Airworthiness in the 'normal' category, issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation on October 27, 2009, valid until October 29, 2010. ## Meteorological and Terrain Conditions Meteorological data from the Güeñes (Vizcaya) weather station, located 15 km from the accident site, indicated light winds from the west during the maneuver. At 11:20 local time, the prevailing wind was 1.4 km/h from 299°, with a maximum of 5.0 km/h from 291°. At 11:25 local time, the prevailing wind was 1.8 km/h from 270°, with a maximum of 6.5 km/h from 253°. The average temperature was 15 °C, and no precipitation was recorded. The terrain featured a valley with an elevation of 400 m, ending in a hill reaching 436 m. The simulated engine failure maneuver began at an altitude of 3,000 ft (approximately 914 m) while overflying the valley on a heading of approximately 120°. The recovery altitude was very low, referenced to the roof of a house on the left. Before impacting the terrain, the aircraft attempted a left turn, resulting in a heading of about 90°. The aircraft touched the ground at elevations of 430 m and 428 m, respectively, before coming to rest. ## Analysis and Contributing Factors The investigation concluded that the incident likely resulted from initiating the recovery from the simulated engine failure at a low altitude near the base of a hill that required additional power to gain the necessary height. The aircraft was in a low-speed condition due to the simulated engine failure, and the terrain required a climb to clear the hill. The aircraft was equipped with a long-pitch propeller, which had greater weight and slower acceleration, hindering the resolution of the emergency. Additionally, the aircraft had full flaps deployed due to the exercise, and a light tailwind component was present, all of which contributed to the outcome of the maneuver. A detailed inspection of the engine revealed no anomalies that could have caused a failure or loss of power.