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2022 Þingvallavatn plane crash

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2022 Þingvallavatn plane crash is an aviation accident which occurred on 3 February 2022 when a Cessna 172N (TF-ABB) crash-landed into the partly-frozen lake of Þingvallavatn and sank during a sightseeing flight from Reykjavík Airport. All 4 people onboard died. Among those was Icelandic pilot Haraldur Diego, skateboarder and YouTuber Josh Neuman along with Nicola Bellavia and Tim Alings.[1][2] The disappearance of the plane led to the biggest search and rescue operation for a missing plane in Iceland in over 40 years.[3][4]

2022 Þingvallavatn plane crash
TF-ABB in 2021.
Accident
Date3 February 2022 (2022-02-03)
SummaryWater landing of unknown cause, under investigation.
SiteÖlfusvatnsvík, Þingvallavatn
64°07′54″N 21°04′33″W / 64.1316°N 21.0759°W / 64.1316; -21.0759
Aircraft
Aircraft typeCessna 172N
OperatorVolcano Air ehf.
RegistrationTF-ABB
Flight originReykjavík Airport
DestinationReykjavík Airport
Occupants4
Passengers3
Crew1
Fatalities4
Survivors0

The accident and rescue operations

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The 1977 Cessna 172N registered TF-ABB took off from Reykjavík Airport at 10:38 on the morning of 3 February 2022. The flight plan indicated a two-hour sightseeing flight. Footage from security cameras from summerhouses near Þingvallavatn showed the plane about an hour later doing what appeared to be an attempted landing or touch-and-go on the southern part of Þingvallavatn lake which was at the time covered in thin ice. The plane hit the ice and sank.[5] No distress call came from the plane and the plane's emergency transmitter did not send any messages. 112, the emergency line, did however receive a few-second call at 11:51 which later turned out to be from the phone of one of the passengers.[6] When the plane did not arrive back at Reykjavík Airport at the right time, the plane was reported missing.

The search operation that followed was the biggest of a missing plane in Iceland in over 40 years or ever since TF-ROM went missing in May 1981.[7] Over 1,000 members of the Icelandic Search and Rescue teams, along with an Icelandic Coast Guard helicopter and a Danish Air Force plane took part in the search.[8][9] The plane was found on 5 February at a depth of 48 meters and 800 meters away from land at the bottom of Ölfusvatnsvík [ˈœlvʏsˌvasːˌviːk] in the southern part of the Þingvallavatn lake, but there was no sight of the men inside the plane. On 6 February, a remote-controlled submarine found the bodies of all four men in a 300-meter radius around the plane.[10][11][12] It was believed that the men escaped from the plane, but had succumbed to the ice-cold water.[13]

Bad weather delayed continued operations for a few days.[14] An extensive recovery operation was commenced on 10 February including the Icelandic Police and their special unit, the fire brigade, the coast guard, and search and rescue teams to retrieve the bodies and the plane.[15][16] The frozen lake intitally prevented rescue boats from accessing the site, but were eventually able to break through and the four bodies of the men were retrieved with a remote-controlled submarine with a grip arm.[17][18] On 11 February, attempts to recover the aircraft out of the water were postponed due to worsening conditions in the water and the dangers it posed for the divers.[19] After weather conditions improved and the ice had melted, the plane was finally retrieved out of the water on 22 April.[20]

Cause

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In the preliminary report from the Safety Investigation Authority of Iceland (Icelandic: Rannsóknarnefnd Samgönguslysa) on the accident it was reported that the plane flew for around 7 seconds at a very low altitude over the water before it landed in it.[21][22]

In May 2024, the Safety Investigation Authority (SIA) published its findings and attributed the accident to an intentional or unintentional landing on the frozen lake with human factors considered a contributory factor. The pilot was known to have previously landed on icy waters where he previously inspected conditions. The SIA found no evidence that he had inspected the conditions at Þingvallavatn beforehand and thus could not conclude whether the landing was intentional or not. Regardless, as soon as the plane touched the ice, the surface collapsed and the plane landed in the water and sank within two minutes. The impact of crash was not enough to activate the emergency transmitter. Despite the fact that the occupants managed to escape the plane after impact, it was concluded that due to the weather conditions that they had no chance of reaching the lake shore.[23][24]

Aftermath

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In the aftermath of the investigation, the Safety Investigation Authority directed the Icelandic Transport Authority to implement the installation of new ADS-B transmitters in all manned aircraft flying in Icelandic airspace. It furthermore directed the Icelandic Coast Guard to establish a response plan with Coordination Center of the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management regarding the organization, implementation and responsibility of a search for a missing aircraft.[25]

Victims

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The pilot was Haraldur Diego, chairman of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) of Iceland and a known figure in airplane photography tours in Iceland.[26][27] The three passengers were from a group of ten people that were present in Iceland to participate in an advertising campaign for the Belgian clothing line Suspicious Antwerp.[28][29] Among the passengers was skateboarder and YouTuber Josh Neuman, along with Nicola Bellavia and Tim Alings.[30][31]

On 12 April 2022, Haraldur's 50th birthday, a memorial service was held with candles being lit and floated on Þingvallavatn.[32]

References

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  1. ^ "Lichaam Nederlander Tim Alings geborgen na vliegtuigongeluk IJsland | Binnenland | Telegraaf.nl". 11 February 2022.
  2. ^ Isabel Goyer (10 February 2022). "Echoes Of Kobe Tragedy In Iceland Plane Crash". Plane&Pilot. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  3. ^ Viktor Pétur Finnsson (19 June 2022). "Með umfangsmestu aðgerðum seinni ára". Morgunblaðið. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  4. ^ Þórhildur Þorkelsdóttir; Nadine Yaghi (24 January 2023). "Flugslys við Þingvallavatn". Eftirmál. Vísir.is. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Flugvélin sést á myndbandsupptökum". Morgunblaðið. 7 February 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Farþegi hringdi á Neyðarlínuna er slysið varð". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 18 June 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  7. ^ Sigurður Bogi Sævarsson (5 February 2022). "Leituðu að TF-ROM í tvær vikur árið 1981". Morgunblaðið. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  8. ^ Freyr Bjarnason (3 February 2022). "Sást til vélarinnar suður af Þingvallavatni". Morgunblaðið. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  9. ^ Egill Bjarnason (7 February 2022). "US skateboarder, Belgian influencer killed in Iceland crash". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Flugvélin fundin". Morgunblaðið. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  11. ^ Kristín Sigurðardóttir (6 February 2022). "Fjögur lík fundin í Þingvallavatni". RÚV. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  12. ^ Kristín Sigurðardóttir (6 February 2022). "Fjögur lík fundin í Þingvallavatni". RÚV. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Fólkið hefur komist úr flugvélinni af sjálfsdáðum". Morgunblaðið. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  14. ^ Eiður Þór Árnason; Lillý Valgerður Pétursdóttir (9 February 2022). "Ryðja, tjalda og koma upp þyrlulendingarstað við Þingvallavatn". Vísir.is. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  15. ^ Hólmfríður María Ragnhildardóttir (10 February 2022). "Ætla að greiða leiðina með bátum". Morgunblaðið. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  16. ^ Kristín Sigurðardóttir (9 February 2022). "22 kafarar í aðgerðum á Þingvallavatni". RÚV. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  17. ^ Hólmfríður María Ragnhildardóttir (10 February 2022). "Byrjaðir að brjóta ísinn". Morgunblaðið. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  18. ^ Samúel Karl Ólason (10 February 2022). "Sóttu hina látnu með kafbáti vegna erfiðra aðstæðna". Vísir.is. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  19. ^ Kristín Sigurðardóttir (11 February 2022). "Gætu þurft að bíða í mánuði með að ná upp flugvél". RÚV. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  20. ^ Óttar Kolbeinsson Proppé (23 April 2022). "Hafa á-kveðnar vísbendingar um tildrög slyssins". Vísir.is. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  21. ^ Ólafur Björn Sverrisson (18 June 2022). "Flaug í mjög lítilli hæð áður en hún hafnaði í vatninu". Vísir.is. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  22. ^ Ragnar Guðmundsson (9 June 2022). Bráðabirgðaskýrsla um flugslys [Preliminary report on aircraft accident] (PDF) (Report). Safety Investigation Authority (Iceland). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  23. ^ Þorsteinn Ásgrímsson (6 May 2024). "Mannlegir þættir orsakavaldur flugslyssins á Þingvallavatni". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  24. ^ Sólveig Klara Ragnarsdóttir; Freyr Gígja Gunnarsson (6 May 2024). "Margt sem hafði áhrif en óvíst hvort lendingin á Þingvallavatni var viljandi eða óviljandi". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  25. ^ Bjarki Sigurðsson (6 May 2024). "Hafi mögulega reynt að lenda á ísilögðu vatninu". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  26. ^ Thomas A. Horne (7 February 2022). "President of AOPA Iceland dies in apparent accident". AOPA. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  27. ^ Einar Þór Sigurðsson (4 February 2022). "Flugmaðurinn reynslumikill: Ferðamennirnir frá Bandaríkjunum, Hollandi og Belgíu". Fréttablaðið. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  28. ^ Óttar Kolbeinsson Proppé (7 February 2022). "Voru á landinu fyrir auglýsingaherferð fatalínunnar". Vísir.is. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  29. ^ Marcel Vink (7 February 2022). "Familie van op IJsland omgekomen Nederlander: 'We laten Tim hier niet achter'". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  30. ^ Rachel Treisman (8 February 2022). "Josh Neuman, popular YouTuber and skateboarder, dies in a plane crash in Iceland". NPR. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  31. ^ Jennifer Hassan (8 February 2022). "American skateboarder Josh Neuman killed in Iceland plane crash died 'doing what he loved,' family says". Washington Post. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  32. ^ "Kertafleyting á Þingvallavatni". Morgunblaðið. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
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