What happened
On January 11, 2025, a Petrel 912i, registration LV-ITP, was conducting a general aviation flight from Morón Airport to Villa Gesell Airport in the Buenos Aires province. While cruising at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the crew experienced a sudden drop in engine RPM accompanied by significant vibrations.
Due to the instability of the powerplant, the pilot declared an emergency and executed an unplanned landing in a rural area approximately 16km north of General Belgoano. The aircraft landed in an unprepared field. While there were no injuries to the two occupants, the landing caused the nose gear fairing to detach from the aircraft. No other visible damage was reported.
The investigation
The Argentine Transportation Safety Board (JST) initiated an investigation into the powerplant failure. Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the technical performance of the Rotax 912F2 engine and Clerici propeller. The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of engine power and the subsequent impact of the emergency landing on the aircraft's structural components.