The crash of a two-engined aircraft in Tires, Cascais, in April last year, which killed five people, was caused by “fault of the pilot who was not able to control the aircraft after a loss of power in the left engine”, an official report has revealed.
The report, conducted by the aircraft and railway accidents investigation commission (GPIAAF), also states that the pilot did not have the “necessary training to handle an emergency situation in which there is a critical engine failure immediately after take-off”.
The causes of the engine failure, however, “could not be determined due to the damage caused by the impact and the intense fire”, the report explains.
Tests also found that the level of alcohol in the pilot’s blood was 0.38g/l, but, according to GPIAFF, this cannot be associated to the consumption of alcohol.
The accident dates back to April 17, 2017 when the Piper PA-31 craft took off from the municipal aerodrome in Tires, Cascais. It crashed into the back of a cargo truck at a Lidl supermarket, killing the pilot, three passengers and the driver of the truck (click here).
