TECNAM P2002 — Santa Fe, NM, 2019

TECNAM P2002 — Santa Fe, NM

2 fatal Low-time pilot

Date	April 8, 2019
Location	Santa Fe, NM
Aircraft	TECNAM P2002
Purpose of flight	Instructional
Conditions	Day · Visual Meteorological Cond
Phase / occurrence	Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
Pilot age	60
Pilot total time	60 hrs · Student / very low time
Time in type	Unknown
Fatalities	2

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall, and loss of control.

NTSB findings

Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Instructor/check pilot
Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Effect on equipment
Personnel issues-Physical-Health/Fitness-Use of medication/drugs-Student/instructed pilot
Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Temp/humidity/pressure-High density altitude-Effect on operation

What happened

The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting a touch-and-go landing. Surveillance footage showed that, shortly after takeoff, the airplane appeared to stop climbing. The right wing then dropped and the airplane entered a steep, nose-down attitude and impacted the ground. A postimpact fire ensued.

Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

At the time of the accident, the density altitude was calculated to be about 8,600 ft. Given the available evidence, it is likely that the engine’s performance was degraded by the high density altitude and the airplane’s critical angle of attack was exceeded during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.