Cessna 152 accident near San Rafael, Argentina (LV-OOL)

Overview and Flight Details On 25 February 2025 at 23:20 UTC, a Cessna 152 with registration LV-OOL was involved in an accident approximately 5 km southwest of the San Rafael aerodrome in Mendoza Province, Argentina. The aircraft was operating a private, non-commercial pleasure flight in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) during the en route phase. The flight duration was recorded as 1.583 hours. ## Accident Description During the cruise phase, the aircraft experienced a loss of power. The pilot made an emergency landing in a grass field. Before the aircraft came to a complete stop, it overturned. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, but there were no fatalities, serious injuries, or minor injuries among the two persons on board. ## Aircraft and Engine Information The aircraft was a 1981 Cessna 152, serial number 84725, with a maximum takeoff mass of 757 kg. It was powered by a Lycoming 235 family engine (serial number L2141015) and equipped with a McCauley Propeller Systems 1A103/TCM6958 propeller (serial number R776718). The aircraft's airworthiness certificate was valid, and its maintenance documentation was current. ## Pilot Information The pilot-in-command was a 24-year-old male holding a private pilot license for aeroplanes. He had a total of 165.7 flight hours, with 24.6 hours in the last 90 days and 1.6 hours in the last 24 hours. ## Investigation Status Field investigations included the collection of fuel and lubricant samples, as well as the removal of three spark plugs from the engine. The spark plugs exhibited significant residue accumulation between the electrodes and ceramic insulators (fouling). All collected items were sent to a laboratory for analysis and functional testing to determine their operational condition. The investigation is currently awaiting the results of these analyses, and no corrective or mitigation actions have been implemented at this time.