What happened
On July 23, 2021, a Cessna 172, registration LV-HBS, departed from the Apóstoles aeroclub in Misiones province for a general aviation flight. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, while operating under visual flight rules, the pilot experienced a sudden loss of engine power. To avoid a more serious accident, the pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing on an unoccupied section of Route RP 34 in San Carlos, Corrientes. The aircraft landed on the asphalt surface without sustaining any damage, and the pilot escaped without injury.
The investigation
The investigation into the incident faced challenges because the aircraft was towed by police escort back to the aeroclub before the JST could be formally notified, which hindered the immediate collection of evidence. While the specific cause of the engine power loss could not be determined due to a lack of sufficient data, the investigation focused on the aircraft's maintenance records and documentation.
Investigators reviewed the aircraft's Form 337 and maintenance logs, uncovering several discrepancies in the airworthiness records. Specifically, the investigation examined the tracking of flight hours and the management of life-limited components.
Findings
- The aircraft's flight hours were not accurately recorded in the aircraft history logs, with total hours being incorrectly entered into the total cycles column.
- Seatbelts, which are classified as life-limited parts by the manufacturer, had exceeded their service life and had not been replaced.
- There was no evidence that the transponder had been properly marked as inoperative in the cockpit, despite records indicating it required inspection.