What happened
On March 14, 2022, at 18:45 UTC, an Aerostar 601P, registration LV-MEE, was performing a general aviation ferry flight from San Justo, Santa Fe, to Ezeiza. The aircraft was occupied by two crew members and four passengers. During the takeoff roll on runway 05, the aircraft reached rotation speed and briefly lifted off the ground. However, the aircraft subsequently made contact with the runway again. Following this transient contact, the crew retracted the landing gear, but the aircraft failed to maintain sufficient altitude and began to descend. The aircraft then veered to the left, resulting in a runway excursion. All six occupants escaped the aircraft without injuries, though the aircraft sustained significant damage to the engine and propeller, along with minor damage to the airframe.
The investigation
The Argentine Transportation Safety Board (JST) examined the takeoff sequence, the crew's training records, and the maintenance of the aircraft's emergency equipment. The investigation focused on the flight dynamics during the initial climb and the adequacy of the crew's transition to this specific aircraft model. Additionally, the JST reviewed the registration data for the aircraft's Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) and the procedures used by maintenance workshops to verify the functional status of such equipment.
Findings
- The takeoff was characterized by low energy levels, likely caused by the specific rotation technique employed.
- The landing gear was retracted before the aircraft had achieved the necessary parameters for a safe climb.
- The co-pilot's transition to the aircraft was insufficient, as the training consisted only of informal cabin familiarization and a single flight, lacking documented instruction by a certified flight instructor.
- The ELT registration contained outdated contact information, which could hinder search and rescue operations.
- There was a lack of standardized, documented procedures for performing functional inspections of ELT equipment during annual maintenance.