Cessna 172 accident near Cerro Azul, Ec, August 25, 2010
On August 25, 2010 at about 12:29 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered HCAQK, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Cerro Azul. It was a personal flight under non-U.S. private rules. 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2010 · about 12:29 pm local time
- Place
- Cerro Azul, Ecuador
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- HCAQK · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 25, 2010, about 1229 universal coordinated time, a Cessna 172, Ecuadorian registration HC-AQK, registered to and operated by AIFA as a personal flight, crashed following a loss of engine power. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and rear seated passenger were seriously injured, and the right seated passenger was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. According to information obtained from the Ecuadorian Accidentes de Aviacion Civil, the flight departed under visual flight rules. Shortly thereafter, the pilot reported that he had an unspecified engine problem. The pilot contacted air traffic control and reported his position before going down. In an interview by rescuers, the pilot stated that the engine rpm dropped from 2,300 to 2,000 rpm, and the airplane descended into the trees. This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Ecuador. Any further information can be obtained from: Sr. Jaime Salazar G La investigación se encuentra a cargo de la Junta Investigadora de Accidentes de la República del Ecuador Phone: 593-2-223-8981 Fax; 593-2- 249-3755 This report is for informational purposes only and contains information released by the Government of Ecuador.
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 engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
Pilot
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.