What happened
On July 8, 2024, a Cessna 172P, registration TG-DUL, was conducting a flight training mission originating from La Aurora International Airport. The flight was intended to proceed toward the southern coast of Guatemala to perform instructional maneuvers, including touch-and-go landings. During the flight, the aircraft encountered a cloud bank, which led to the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation. Consequently, the aircraft deviated from its intended route and struck the southwest slope of Volcán de Agua, in the municipality of Palín, Escuintla. The impact resulted in two fatalities, as both occupants failed to survive the crash.
The investigation
The DGAC/UIA investigation focused on the flight's progression, the aircraft's mechanical state, and the environmental conditions. Investigators confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy at the start of the flight and that maintenance records showed no discrepancies that contributed to the accident. Communications with air traffic control at San José approach remained normal, with the pilot reporting no mechanical anomalies or requests for navigational assistance during the outbound leg.
Search efforts were complicated by the fact that the aircraft's Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) failed to transmit its position, and the crash site was inaccessible by land. The wreckage was eventually located four days after the occurrence, requiring a military rescue unit to perform an aerial extraction of the occupants. The investigation also examined the pilot's physical and psychological health, finding no evidence of impairment or negative human factors contributing to the event.
Findings
- The aircraft entered a cloud bank, leading to the pilot's spatial disorientation.
- The pilot deviated from the planned flight path due to the loss of visual reference.
- Meteorological conditions, specifically low visibility and cloud cover in the volcanic region, were not suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.
- The failure of the ELT to transmit prevented the immediate localization of the wreckage.