What happened
On February 24, 2024, at approximately 14:00 UTC, a Cessna 172, registration LV-GDG, was performing a general aviation training flight from Morón to the Chascomús Aerodrome in Buenos Aires province. During the landing phase, the aircraft experienced a runway excursion. The impact caused the collapse of the nose landing gear and sustained damage to the propeller and engine cowling. The aircraft eventually came to rest in a ditch approximately 40 meters beyond the paved runway end.
While the crew reported that the aircraft's brakes failed to respond during deceleration, eyewitnesses observed the aircraft touching down at a high speed within the final third of the runway. Notably, the aircraft landed on runway 04, even though runway 22 was the active runway at the time due to wind conditions.
The investigation
The investigation examined the technical condition of the aircraft, the maintenance records, and the operational environment. Investigators found that the aircraft's brake system was in a deficient state, noting a fracture in a brake line conduit on the left main gear and a fissure in the right brake circuit. Additionally, the engine was found to be missing its oil filler cap, and traces of oil were visible on the ventral fuselage.
Review of the technical documentation revealed significant discrepancies. The investigation identified a lack of traceability for critical components, including the engine and propeller. There were also inconsistent records regarding total airframe hours and conflicting serial numbers for various components across different maintenance forms. Despite a recent annual inspection recorded 52 days prior to the event, the aircraft exhibited a general state of deterioration inconsistent with a recently serviced aircraft.