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Andalusia

Crash of an Airbus A400M in Seville: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 2015 at 1257 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EC-403
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Seville - Seville
MSN:
023
YOM:
2015
Flight number:
Casa423
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
0
Aircraft flight cycles:
0
Circumstances:
Brand new, the aircraft just came out from the manufacturer in Seville and was engaged in its first post assembly test flight. After take off from Seville-San Pablo Airport Runway 09 at 1254LT, the crew completed a 90° turn to the left bound to the north. Shortly later, three of the four engines (engines n°1, 2 and 3) got stuck at high power. The crew attempted to control the power setting to the normal mode but those three engines failed to respond. The crew reduced the engine power after selecting the thrust levers to idle. The regime of those three engines remained blocked in idle so the crew decided to return to the airport for an emergency landing. On approach, the aircraft collided with power lines, stalled and crashed in an open field located 1,6 km north of the airport, bursting into flames. Two crew members were rescued while four others were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire. The aircraft was following a test program prior to its delivery to the Turkish Air Force (Türk Hava Kuvvetleri).
Probable cause:
An Airbus official after the accident stated that engine control software was incorrectly installed during final assembly of the aircraft. This led to engine failure and the resulting crash.

Crash of a Technoavia SM-92G Turbo Finist in Bollullos de la Mitación

Date & Time: Jul 1, 2012 at 1045 LT
Registration:
HA-NAH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bollullos de la Mitación - Bollullos de la Mitación
MSN:
003
YOM:
1994
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
340
Captain / Total hours on type:
24.00
Aircraft flight hours:
2575
Circumstances:
The aircraft started taking off from runway 27 threshold. Upon reaching a speed deemed proper by the pilot for rotation, the pilot noticed that the aircraft was not taking off, so he decided to abort the takeoff. While trying to stop the aircraft, it exited via the left side of the runway near the end, breaking through the fence that surrounds the aerodrome before coming to rest in trees. While all ten occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair with both wings sheared off.
Probable cause:
Whenever this aircraft is doing a short-field takeoff with a high weight, it is recommended that the flaps be set to their takeoff position of 20°. The evidence indicates that the pilot was attempting to take off on runway 27 and forgot to place the flaps in the takeoff position (20°).
Final Report:

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 Islander in Guadalcanal: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 17, 2007 at 1930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
G-CHES
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Guadalcanal - Guadalcanal
MSN:
2011
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2400
Aircraft flight hours:
8500
Aircraft flight cycles:
8900
Circumstances:
The Britten Norman “Islander” aircraft, registration G-CHES, had flown on the morning of 17 October 2007 over various points of the Sierra Morena and the north part of the province of Seville. Its mission had been to scout the various flight fields which would be available to the aircraft in future operations. The purpose of that day’s flight was to land at a temporary runway in the town of Guadalcanal, in the province of Seville on the border with the province of Badajoz. This runway, used by airplanes on agricultural flights, is some five kilometers SW of the town. The pilot, however, mistakenly landed at another temporary field, with the same bearing and approximately halfway between the town and the other runway on Guadalcanal. The runway on which it landed, called Los Tomillares (after the name of the ranch on which it is located), is considerably shorter. The distance available was sufficient for the airplane’s sole pilot to land normally. In order to be able to depart from that strip, which measured only 400 m in length, the pilot telephoned for help and guidance in order to make the short four-kilometer flight from that strip to the runway in Guadalcanal, his original destination. In response to his call for help, a pilot with experience on that type of airplane reported to the strip early in the afternoon and joined the pilot as a crew advisor on the aircraft in order to aid the pilot in command. Two other persons on the ground provided assistance loading fuel in the main tanks. The gasoline was taken to the aerodrome in 50-liter plastic drums, which were placed inside the aircraft once emptied, since they were operating between runways in which there was no refueling service. A total of 250 liters of AV100LL fuel was deposited in the main tanks. Both pilots walked the length of the field at Los Tomillares to check its condition and dimensions. They determined its length by counting their steps. They also determined its gradient. Although the surface was made of uncompacted dirt, they calculated that it was sufficient for takeoff, which they decided to do toward the southeast to take advantage of the favorable negative slope. Specifically, they planned to depart on a SE heading, turn 90° right, and continue flying south until they were lined up with the Guadalcanal runway. They planned to land on a NW course. They postponed the operation until late in the afternoon, before sunset, so as to avoid glare from the setting sun while landing at Guadalcanal. According to eyewitness accounts, the pilot in command did the pre-flight check and dismissed the ground assistants, who left before the airplane took off. A few minutes later, at 19:30, half an hour prior to sunset, the aircraft headed for the runway threshold. Shortly thereafter it started its takeoff, gaining speed and becoming airborne prior to reaching the opposite threshold. The right engine then started to fail partially, causing the airplane to yaw hard to the right. The pilot in command, seated to the left, was flying the airplane. According to the statement of the accompanying pilot, who was seated in the RH seat, when the engine failed, the pilot asked him to take the flight controls while he attempted to restore power to the right engine. After lowering the nose, they started to descend slightly, managing to correct the right yaw by applying left rudder. They had practically managed to regain directional control of the aircraft when the right engine started to run at full power once more, propelling the aircraft, which caused it to veer left, toward higher ground. They were unable to avoid the impact. The aircraft’s left wingtip impacted first, hitting some bushes on the hillside. A few meters later the left gear wheel made contact. After crossing a small river bed, the aircraft’s left wing and forward fuselage impacted, with the airplane coming to a stop after traveling along the ground for a few meters. The impact site was on the runway centerline extension and some 400 m from the southeast threshold, which they had overflown a few seconds earlier when taking off. The aircraft was seriously damaged and was essentially destroyed. There was no fire after the impact.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the fault and abnormal operation of the right engine was probably caused by the presence of water in the fuel being supplied to it. This water could have come from condensation inside the tanks that was not properly drained when the airplane was serviced. Alternatively, the water could have come from the jugs that were used to transport the fuel prior to the refueling in the field. The cause behind the airplane’s loss of lateral control and its ability to climb was probably the result of the oscillating condition of the high asymmetric drag as the stationary propeller, and the counteracting forces being applied by the rudder, were suddenly and immediately replaced by a condition of high symmetric thrust with the left rudder pedal still fully depressed.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31P-425 Pressurized Navajo in Seville: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 2004 at 1602 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EC-GYD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Seville - Tangier
MSN:
31-7300123
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
1500
Aircraft flight hours:
4920
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Sevilla-San Pablo Airport runway 27, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft suffered a right engine failure. It rolled to the right then lost height and crashed 1,500 metres from the runway end, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine shortly after rotation. Due to the degree of destruction, it was not possible to determine the exact cause of the failure that occurred at a critical stage of flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Casa-Nurtanio CN-235-200 (IPTN) in Málaga: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 2001 at 1016 LT
Operator:
Registration:
EC-FBC
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Melilla – Málaga
MSN:
C-033
YOM:
1990
Flight number:
AX8261
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
7372
Captain / Total hours on type:
4166.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
8485
Copilot / Total hours on type:
4885
Aircraft flight hours:
14577
Aircraft flight cycles:
20780
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Melilla, the crew was cleared to descend to Málaga-Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport. On final approach to runway 32, the crew encountered an unexpected situation when the engine fire warning light came on in the cockpit panel, indicating a fire on the left engine. The copilot informed ATC and after he declared an emergency, was cleared to land on runway 32. On short final, both engines stopped. The aircraft stalled and crashed 538 metres short of runway threshold and came to rest against the embankment of a motorway. The captain and three passengers were killed while all other occupants were injured, some of them seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It is considered that the cause of the accident was the incorrect execution, by the crew, of the emergency procedure of fire or serious damage to an engine contained in the Flight Operations Manual that was on board the aircraft, causing the consecutive shutdown of both engines with the consequent total loss of thrust, so that the progression of the flight was impeded. The activation of the emergency procedure occurred as a consequence of a left engine fire warning which turned out to be false. The appearance of the false fire warning could be caused by the presence of moisture and/or dirt in the connectors of the fire detector circuit. It is considered that a contributing factor to these circumstances could be the definition of maintenance tasks for that system in the Aircraft Maintenance Manual, which was not compliant to the methods recommended by the manufacturer of the fire detection system to avoid the existence of humidity in the installation. As factors that could have contributed to the incorrect performance of the crew during the application of the emergency procedure, the following are considered:
- A lack of coordination in the piloting tasks, carried out in the absence of 'Crew Resource Management" criteria.
- Insufficient training for the cockpit change received by the copilot, which did not include simulator training for the application of emergency procedures.
Final Report:

Crash of an Aérospatiale SN.601 Corvette in Córdoba: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 25, 2000 at 0604 LT
Registration:
EC-DQG
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Málaga - Córdoba
MSN:
27
YOM:
1976
Flight number:
MYO611
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
6232
Captain / Total hours on type:
3251.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1875
Copilot / Total hours on type:
22
Aircraft flight hours:
5743
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Málaga-Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport at 0543LT on a positioning flight to Córdoba. On board were two pilots who were flying to Córdoba to pick up a medical team for a transplantation mission. Fifteen minutes after takeoff, the crew started the descent but encountered poor visibility due to the night and foggy conditions. At that moment, the horizontal visibility was 300 metres and the vertical visibility about 500 feet. As Córdoba Airport was not equipped with an ILS system, the crew decided to attempt an approach via a GPS system. On final approach, the aircraft was too low, struck a utility pole then crashed onto a uninhabited house located 1,500 metres short of runway 21. The aircraft was destroyed, one pilot was killed and the second was seriously injured.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred when the aircraft crew carried out an approach maneuver to Córdoba Airport in conditions of very reduced visibility in fog, based exclusively on the GPS receiver of the communications navigation system installed in the aircraft and without reliably monitoring the ground separation. It is likely that the decision to carry out this maneuver was influenced by a pressure to complete the mission, self-generated by the crew members, or self-generated by the pilot-in-command, and induced or not by him and the copilot, as a consequence of an urgent humanitarian operation that entrusted about the confidence of the pilot-in-command and his experience, the navigation system that equipped the aircraft and the knowledge of the destination airport.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 70 Queen Air near Villanueva del Rosario: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 4, 1994 at 0217 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EC-FLZ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Madrid – Málaga
MSN:
LB-21
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
1715
Aircraft flight hours:
3970
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Madrid-Barajas Airport at 0020LT on a charter flight to Málaga, carrying three passengers and one pilot. After descending from FL080, the pilot was cleared to initiate a visual approach in preparation for a landing at Málaga-Pablo Ruiz Picasso Runway 14. After passing the altitude of 3,000 feet, about 12 NM north of Málaga VOR, the pilot started a turn to the left when the aircraft struck the slope of a rocky mountain (850 metres high) located near Villanueva del Rosario. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all four occupants were killed. The wreckage was found few metres below the summit. At the time of the accident, the visibility was good with few clouds (1-4 octas) at 1,800 feet.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the collision with terrain occurred while the pilot was attempting a night visual approach, after he mistook the lights of the principal avenue of the nearest city with the runway lights of Málaga Airport.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 55 Longhorn in Seville

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1994 at 1517 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-KILO
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Seville - Milan
MSN:
55-007
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11800
Circumstances:
Seven minutes after takeoff from Seville-San Pablo Airport, while climbing, the crew reported technical problems and elected to return. Few minutes later, the situation worsened, the crew declared an emergency and started a rapid descent. The aircraft landed on runway 27 at an excessive speed. Upon touchdown, the right main gear collapsed. The aircraft rolled for about 2 km then veered off runway to the right and came to rest. All 10 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 425 Conquest I off Málaga

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
EC-ETH
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Melilla - Málaga
MSN:
425-0151
YOM:
1982
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a ferry flight from Melilla to Málaga. While on approach to Málaga-Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport runway 32, both engines stopped simultaneously. The pilot reduced his altitude and ditched the aircraft 80 metres offshore. The pilot was quickly rescued while the aircraft sank.
Probable cause:
Failure of both engines on final approach due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-32 in Grenada

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1992 at 2020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EC-BYH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Madrid - Granada
MSN:
47556
YOM:
1972
Flight number:
AO231
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
94
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew completed the approach to runway 09 with a tailwind component of 11 knots. The aircraft landed hard 50 metres past the runway threshold, bounced and landed hard a second time 360 metres further. All tires burst and the fuselage broke in two between sections 756 and 760. The aircraft came to rest and all 99 occupants were evacuated, among them 26 were injured, four seriously. A positive acceleration of 4,49 g was recorded on the first impact and 4,79 g on the second impact.