What happened
On September 24, 2021, at approximately 21:00 UTC, a Piper PA-A-38-112, registration LV-OHN, was conducting a local flight instruction session near the Berazategui aerodrome in Buenos Aires Province. The flight, which had departed at 20:20 UTC, was performing a 360-degree approach maneuver to runway 15 under visual meteorological conditions. During the transition from the base leg to the final approach, the aircraft experienced a loss of control and impacted the ground. The impact was of such magnitude that there was no possibility of survival for the two occupants, the instructor and the student pilot, both of whom were killed.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by the JST examined the technical, operational, and institutional aspects surrounding the accident. Investigators reviewed the aircraft's maintenance history, the flight training records of the student, and the environmental conditions at the time of the event. The inquiry also looked into the institutional practices of the flight school, specifically regarding student progress tracking and the documentation of technical discrepancies.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a loss of control in flight during the turn from base to final.
- The steep bank angle during the turn, combined with the presence of a tailwind, likely contributed to the loss of control.
- No mechanical failures or malfunctions of the aircraft's systems were identified as immediate triggers.
- The 360-degree approach maneuver was being initiated at an altitude of 1,000 feet, a height that involves tight turns and increases risk during training.
- Institutional safety risks were identified, including incomplete student evaluation records and a lack of proper documentation for recent maintenance tasks, such as a 50-hour inspection and repairs to spark plugs and fuel injection systems.