# NTSB CEN12WA685: Piper PA-30, Soyapango, El Salvador, July 11, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Foreign investigation
- Date: July 11, 2012, 12:12 local (12:12 UTC)
- Place: Soyapango, El Salvador
- Coordinates: 13.685555, -89.116668 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=13.6856&lon=-89.1167&mi=10
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Lead agency: Other
- Parties: ACSA-COCESNA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 86898
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12WA685
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86898/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12WA685

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Other authority investigated (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Factual narrative

On July 11, 2012, at 1212 coordinated universal time, a Piper PA-30, El Salvador-registered YS-125P, operated by Escuela De Pilotos Dargonza, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Soyapango, El Salvador. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight instructor and two students were fatally injured. The local training flight was originating at the time of the accident. The El Salvador investigators received reports that shortly after takeoff the pilot requested permission to return to the airport to land but did not declare an emergency. The airplane impacted a ravine 0.3 miles short of the runway threshold. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the El Salvador government. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the El Salvador government or the Autoridad de Aviacion Civil (AAC). Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Republica de El Salvador Autoridad de Aviacion Civil (AAC) Aeropuerto Internacional de Ilopango Boulevard del Ejercito, Km 9 ½ San Salvador, El Salvador

## Aircraft

- Registration: YS-125P (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 30-1571
- Airframe hours: 2265
- Engines: Lycoming IO - 320-C1A 160 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming IO - 320-C1A 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Non-U.S., non-commercial
- Operator: Escuela De Pilotos Dargonza, doing business as Dargonza
- Registered owner: Carlos Antonio Dardano
- Last inspection: 100 hour, December 10, 2011
- Departed: MSSS, Soyapango
- Destination: MSSS, Soyapango
- Flight plan: VFR

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observed at: MSSS

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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