What happened
During a series of skydiving operations at the Częstochowa-Rudniki Airport in Silesia, a twin-engine aircraft departed from runway 26C carrying one pilot and 11 skydivers. Shortly after takeoff, while maintaining an altitude of approximately 100 meters, the aircraft experienced mechanical issues with its engines. The pilot notified the passengers of an emergency and attempted to perform an emergency landing.
During this maneuver, the aircraft experienced a significant left roll, reaching an angle of 70 degrees. This led to an aerodynamic stall, causing the plane to crash into a nearby forested area where the wreckage ignited. The impact occurred roughly 4,200 meters beyond the end of the runway. The accident resulted in 9 fatalities among the occupants, with three passengers sustaining serious injuries. Following the initial event, two of the survivors later succumbed to their wounds.
Findings
Investigations into the accident revealed that the aircraft was being operated without a valid Certificate of Airworthiness. The primary sequence of failure began when the left engine's crankshaft failed, which subsequently caused the propeller to malfunction; because the propeller could not be feathered, the resulting asymmetric thrust led to the stall.
Several contributing factors were identified regarding the right engine's transmission, specifically damage to the pin clutch connecting the crankshaft to the drive shaft. This damage may have resulted from a prior undocumented propeller strike or long-term fatigue from uneven engine operation. Additional findings included:
- Inadequate maintenance of the aircraft
- Use of fuel that did not meet manufacturer specifications
- Unauthorized modifications that violated the aircraft's Type Certificate
- Low power output from the left engine due to improper operation
- High ambient temperatures during the flight