What happened
On November 26, 2013, a Piper Cherokee PA 28-140, registration TG-RIJ, was involved in an aircraft accident near the General Felipe Cruz Parachuting Base, located in the Puerto San José area of Guatemala. The aircraft was operating in an area characterized by calm winds and high visibility during the morning hours. Following the impact, the aircraft sustained significant structural damage.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by the Unidad de Investigación de Accidentes (UIA) of the DGAC examined the meteorological conditions at the time of the occurrence, the maintenance history of the aircraft, and the operational environment. Meteorological data from INSIVUMEH indicated that between 07:00 and 09:00 hours, conditions were CAVOK (ceiling and visibility OK) with calm winds and temperatures rising from 23°C to 28°C. By 10:00 hours, a northwest wind of 10 knots had developed.
Maintenance records for TG-RIJ showed that the aircraft had undergone a 100-hour and annual inspection on February 12, 2013, at Aerotecnica. At the time of the inspection, the aircraft's total time was 5248.78 hours. The investigation also reviewed the airworthiness status and the compliance of applicable Airworthiness Directives (ADs) as documented in the maintenance logs.
Findings
- The meteorological conditions at the site were favorable, with visibility exceeding 10 kilometers and minimal cloud cover.
- The aircraft was in an airworthy condition according to the last recorded annual inspection.
- The investigation identified the impact location near the paragliding/parachuting base as the site of the accident.