What happened
On February 4, 2024, a Cessna 152, registration LV-BHM, departed from Lincoln, Argentina, for a recreational flight to the Junín Glider Club. Approximately 17 minutes into the flight, while cruising, the pilot experienced vibrations originating from the nose of the aircraft, indicating a power plant malfunction.
Aware that the destination runway was occupied by gliders, the pilot opted to perform an emergency landing on a clear, dry area of the Laguna de Gómez lake bed. During the landing roll, the nose gear sank into the soft terrain, causing the aircraft to nose over. The pilot sustained one minor injury, and the aircraft suffered significant damage.
The investigation
The JST investigation focused on the mechanical state of the engine and the maintenance history of the aircraft. While the fuel was confirmed to be the correct AV-GAS 100LL, analysis of the engine oil revealed discrepancies. The lubricant sample collected from the wreckage had a viscosity index significantly lower than the specification for the oil used during the aircraft's last annual inspection.
Investigators found that the aircraft's technical logs were incomplete, specifically regarding flight hour entries between inspections. This lack of documentation made it impossible to verify the exact usage of the engine or the traceability of the oil added between maintenance intervals. Physical inspections of the crankshaft, combustion chambers, and air/fuel intake systems showed no obvious obstructions or mechanical breaks.