Icelandic Transport Accident Investigation Board (RNSA) published the final report about the crash of Cessna 172 with registration TF-ABB in Ölfusvatnsvík Bay, in the south of Þingvallavatn lake, on 3.February 2022. Four people were on board: the owner of the plane and back then the head of AOPA Iceland Haraldur Diego was piloting himself, while the passengers were influencers Nicola Bellavia, Josh Neumann, and Tim Alings. The crash happened after the plane hit the water. People left the plane but drowned in the cold water on the way to the shore.
Investigators assume the purpose of the flight was to film content for social media, which might pushed the pilot to risky flying. “The cause of the accident is attributed to an intentional or unintentional landing on icy water, as the ice did not support the weight of the aircraft, the aircraft went through it and crashed into the water”, says the report.
Earlier in the preliminary report RNSA said that the plane took off from Reykjavik (ICAO: BIRK) and flew over Hellisheiði and Ölfusárós, along the south coast to Þjórsárós and then to the northwest over Grímsnes. The plane then headed west of Úlfljótsvatn and to Ölfusvatnsvík. Footage from a security camera by Þingvallavatn shows the plane flew from the south of Ölfusvatnsvík in Þingvallavatn to the north when it started to descend towards the water. Then the aircraft turned left to the West and then descended even lower to the water. The aircraft appeared to fly at a very low altitude above the water, for about 7 seconds, before impact.
