What happened
On December 9, 2020, a Cessna C-182, registration LV-HTI, was conducting a general aviation ferry flight from Trelew to Bahía Blanca. While the aircraft was in the descent phase of its approach toward the Bahía Blanca airport, the engine experienced a loss of power. This mechanical failure prevented the pilot from maintaining the established flight path, necessitating an immediate emergency landing in a rural area located approximately 20 km south of Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires.
Despite the unplanned landing in a field, the aircraft sustained no damage, and the two occupants on board remained uninjured.
The investigation
The Argentine Transportation Safety Board (JST) conducted a technical investigation into the incident. Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the engine failure and the condition of the aircraft following the landing. The investigation focused on the mechanical performance of the engine during the descent and the operational procedures followed by the crew.
Findings
The investigation established that the primary cause of the incident was a loss of engine power during the approach to the destination. This failure directly resulted in the inability to maintain the flight trajectory, forcing the emergency landing in the rural zone.