What happened
On 15 September 2015, a PA28-161 aircraft, registration 9M-NKF, operated by APFT, was involved in a runway excursion at Kota Bharu Airport, Kelantan. The flight was being conducted by a cadet pilot performing his second solo circuit sortie.
After taking off at 1615LT, the pilot successfully completed an initial circuit and landed safely. Following instructions to hold on the downwind leg, the pilot was cleared for a subsequent approach. While landing on Runway 10, the pilot noted that the aircraft was positioned slightly to the right of the runway centerline. In an attempt to correct the aircraft's position, the pilot applied left rudder. This maneuver caused the aircraft to suddenly veer to the left, resulting in the plane skidding off the runway and coming to a stop in a nearby drain. There were 0 fatalities associated with this incident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's corrective actions during the landing roll and the environmental conditions present at the time of the excursion. The inquiry examined the sequence of the landing approach and the specific control inputs used to address the centerline deviation.
Findings
- The pilot attempted to correct a rightward deviation from the centerline by applying left rudder.
- This input caused the aircraft to veer sharply to the left, leading to the runway excursion.
- The exact cause of the sudden veer remains undetermined.
Safety action
Following the investigation, the following recommendations were made:
- Flight instructors and cadets should ensure they are fully aware of surface wind conditions prior to commencing solo or dual flight sorties.
- Training programs should place greater emphasis on exposing cadets to effective crosswind techniques during both takeoff and landing phases.