Accident Overview
On 28 June 2022 at approximately 09:21 local time, a Cessna 172M aircraft crashed in the area of Pustinja Blaca on the island of Brač, Croatia. The flight was a VFR panoramic tour along the coast of Brač. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants—the pilot and two passengers—sustained serious, non-life-threatening injuries.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Cessna 172M, registration HA-SKL. It was owned by Flycoop Legiszolgatato Ltd. and operated by Aero Murvica j.d.o.o. The pilot held a valid CPL(A) license with SEP/land and MEP/land instrument ratings, issued by Danish authorities on 21 December 2018.
Sequence of Events
The pilot arrived at Brač Airport around 08:30 LT and completed pre-flight checks. The passengers boarded and the flight departed at 09:10 LT. The flight plan was filed and communication with air traffic control was normal. The cleared altitude was 2,500 ft. After takeoff, the aircraft flew toward Bol, circled over Zlatni Rat, and then headed toward the Blaca monastery. The aircraft entered a canyon where the monastery is located, flying at approximately half the canyon height. After passing the monastery, the aircraft continued into the upper part of the canyon. It then made a rough landing on the left side slope of the canyon. The pilot and passengers exited the aircraft and the pilot contacted control via mobile phone to request assistance. The entire flight lasted about ten minutes.
Injuries and Damage
All three occupants suffered serious bodily injuries, but none were life-threatening. The aircraft incurred substantial damage: structural failure of the fuselage, wings, and landing gear. The left wing was partially torn from the fuselage, the fuel tank ruptured, the propeller blades showed impact damage, and the engine crankshaft was bent. Vegetation in the immediate vicinity was also damaged, including broken branches and bark stripped from a tree struck by the rotating propeller.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the immediate cause of the accident was loss of lift due to reduced speed and increased angle in climb.