Incident Overview
On September 8, 2023, at approximately 13:30 local time, a Piper Aircraft Co. PA-34-200T, registration T7-YCO, serial number 34-7870302, was involved in a serious incident at Lisicji Jarak Airport, located in the Palilula municipality of Belgrade, Serbia. The aircraft was conducting a training flight with a pilot-instructor and a student pilot on board. Both occupants were uninjured and the aircraft sustained minor damage.
Flight Details
The flight originated from Lisicji Jarak Airport with a planned route to Cenej Airport near Novi Sad, where several training circuits were to be performed, followed by a return to Lisicji Jarak. The flight proceeded without issues. During the approach to land on runway 14, the crew extended the landing gear as per procedure, receiving positive indication of all three gear legs locked down. Landing was performed within prescribed norms, but the crew noted significant vibrations due to uneven runway surface.
Occurrence Sequence
After landing, the aircraft slowed and the crew began taxiing at low speed toward the taxiway leading to the apron. While turning right onto the taxiway, the crew felt the aircraft drop on the right side, as if the right main landing gear had retracted. They immediately stopped the aircraft, shut down the engines, and exited without injury. Upon inspection, they found the right main landing gear had collapsed, bending backward beneath the wing. The right wing and lower engine cowling were in contact with the ground, and the right propeller showed evidence of ground impact.
Runway Condition
Investigators from the Serbian Centre for Transport Accident Investigation (Centar za istraživanje nesreća u saobraćaju) examined the runway surface where the aircraft had landed and taxied. They found numerous defects, including depressions up to 20 cm deep, holes of varying depth, and longitudinal and transverse cracks. Unevenness resulting from surface fracturing was widespread. During the investigation, officials observed another aircraft landing and taxiing on the same runway; it experienced pronounced vibrations and lateral movements, requiring significantly reduced speed.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the serious incident was structural failure of the right main landing gear due to impact holes and vibrations generated during landing and taxiing on the uneven surface of the runway at Lisicji Jarak Airport.
Safety Recommendations
The investigation recommended suspending all flight operations at Lisicji Jarak Airport until the runway surface is brought to a safe condition in accordance with applicable Serbian regulations.