Human error confirmed as reason for the light aircraft accident in August 2008

A light aircraft on Patria Pilot Training Oy’s training flight was lost in Taipalsaari, on Lake Saimaa, on 15 August 2008. The flight instructor and two flight students performing a Stage Check Flight were killed in the accident. Patria deeply regrets this.

Accident Investigation Board Finland has today released their report stating that immediate reason for the accident was a human error of the flight instructor. The extensive report brought also up other possible reasons which may have contributed to the accident and presented recommendations to prevent similar accidents in the future.

The Board recommends that Patria changes its procedure for Stage Check Flight even more detailed. Also, the flight instructor of the Stage Check Flight should be somebody else than the one participating in the training of the flight student in question. Patria has initiated all procedures as recommended.

Some other recommendations were addressed to the European Aviation Safety Agency EASA as well as to the Finnish Civil Aviation Authority. Additionally, all flight training organisations  in Finland are advised to draw up and introduce explicit training instructions for the flight instructors.
 
Further information:

Patria
Jukka Holkeri
Executive Vice President
Tel. +358 40 869 2008

Patria is a defence and aerospace group with international operations delivering its customers competitive solutions based on own specialist know-how and partnerships. Patria is owned by the State of Finland and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V.