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| Date: | Monday 26 June 2023 |
| Time: | 15:00 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk |
| Owner/operator: | CAAA El Salvador |
| Registration: | YS-331-PE |
| MSN: | 38-79A0940 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1979 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-235 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Suchitoto, Cuscatlán -
 El Salvador
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | San Salvador/Ilopango International Airport (SAL/MSSS) |
| San Salvador/Ilopango International Airport (SAL/MSSS) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAC El Salvador |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Piper PA-38 Tomahawk crashed in a forest, injuring both occupants.
3 CONCLUSIONS
Probable Causes Related to Maintenance:
3.1 Inconsistencies in Inspection Tracking: Although the O-235-L2C engine of the YS331PE underwent a complete overhaul, records indicate that scheduled inspections (every 50 and 100 hours) might not have been performed with the necessary regularity. This could have allowed latent issues to affect engine performance during flight.
3.2 Opportunities for Improved Condition-Based Maintenance: The aircraft could have benefited from a more proactive approach to condition-based inspections, especially concerning the fuel and magneto systems. Performing periodic magneto inspections every 500 hours is crucial to ensure optimal functioning and prevent potential ignition system failures.
3.3 Fuel Mixture Adjustments: The fuel mixture might not have been adjusted adequately at high altitudes, which could have resulted in inefficient combustion. More attentive monitoring and adjustment of the mixture during operations could have improved engine performance.
Probable Causes Related to Operations:
3.4 Fuel Mixture Management: The pilot chose to keep the mixture at "Full Rich" at an altitude where an adjustment was required, which may have contributed to the decrease in power. This experience highlights the importance of following manufacturer recommendations for mixture adjustment based on altitude.
3.5 Lack of Experience in Unusual Situations: Given that the flight was conducted in an instructional context and a similar situation had not been previously encountered, the pilot's decision-making could have been influenced by a lack of familiarity with the corrective maneuvers necessary for a loss of power.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://elimparcialnews.com/2023/06/con-helicoptero-uh-1h-evacuaron-a-dos-hombres-que-sufrieron-accidente-aereo-en-suchitoto/
https://www.aac.gob.sv/wp-content/uploads/download-manager-files/Informe-final-AAC-003-2023-AIG-YS331PE-director.pdf
Media:
#Ahora | Con el fin de evitar un conato de incendio, Bomberos El Salvador realiza inspección en avioneta accidentada en el carretera hacia Suchitoto, caserío Las Bermudas, Cuscatlán. #TCSN pic.twitter.com/y5XGpmlyws
— TCS NOTICIAS (@tcsnoticias) June 26, 2023
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Jun-2023 07:22 | harro | Added |
| 27-Jun-2023 07:25 | harro | Updated |
| 18-Dec-2023 14:42 | Anon. | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, ] |
| 19-Jul-2025 08:05 | HanayoPlus | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Jul-2025 08:06 | ASN | Updated [Accident report, ] |
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