Socata TB20 accident near Cuenca, Spain, Es, January 16, 2016
On January 16, 2016 at about 3:32 pm local time, a Socata TB20, registered ECESK, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Cuenca, Spain. 4 people were killed.
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 2016 · about 3:32 pm local time
- Place
- Cuenca, Spain, Es · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Socata TB20 · all TB20s on the register
- Registration
- ECESK · no longer on the register · serial 747
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On January 16, 2016, about 1532 coordinated universal time, a Socata TB-20 single engine airplane, serial number 747, registry EC-ESK, was destroyed after impacting terrain near Cuenca, Spain, during cruise flight. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane had departed from Alicante, Spain, and was enroute to León, Spain. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the government of Spain. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the government of Spain. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Ministrio de Fomento - CIAIAC Fruela, 6 - 1ª floor 28011 MADRID - ESPAÑA
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: LEMU Alicante
- Destination: LEOS León
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN16WA088.