Piper PA-31 Navajo Accident at Las Marías Aerodrome, Chile

Incident Overview and Flight Background On October 5, 2021, at 16:30 local time, a Piper PA-31 “Navajo” aircraft was attempting to land on runway 17 at Aeródromo Las Marías (SCVL) in Valdivia, Los Ríos Region, Chile. The flight was an air ambulance operation intended to transport two patients from Valdivia to Santiago. The crew consisted of a pilot instructor and a student pilot, with one passenger on board. The student pilot was designated for the flight because she held the required type rating but lacked recent experience, necessitating an instructional flight order. The flight plan included two segments: SCTB to SCIE, and then SCIE to SCVL. The first segment was completed without issues, including a refueling stop at SCIE. During the approach to SCVL, the instructor notified their intentions via TIBA procedures. The student pilot requested the instructor to read the landing checklist, which included lowering the landing gear. The instructor moved the gear lever while looking outside to ensure the runway was clear due to ongoing work at the aerodrome. The student pilot then continued the landing maneuver, focusing on maintaining alignment with runway 17 due to strong left winds. As the aircraft approached touchdown, the student pilot heard a loud impact and advanced the throttles to full power. The instructor then took control and aborted the landing, subsequently completing a successful landing on runway 17 with a left crosswind. The aircraft was then taxied to the parking apron, where damage was observed. All three occupants—the instructor, the student pilot, and the passenger—were uninjured. The aircraft sustained damage to both propellers, wings, and fuselage. ## Aircraft and Maintenance Details The aircraft was a 1981 Piper PA-31 “Navajo” with serial number 31-8112068 and 8,582.7 flight hours. It was equipped with two Lycoming TIO-540-A2C engines and Hartzell HC-E3YR-2ATF propellers. The aircraft’s empty weight was 4,559 lb (2,067 kg), and its maximum takeoff weight was 6,500 lb (2,948 kg). The last inspection was conducted on October 4, 2021, at 8,578.9 flight hours, covering 50 and 100-hour requirements. Maintenance records showed no discrepancies or observations related to the landing gear system or operation. The aircraft used AVGAS 100LL fuel, with no evidence of water contamination. All required documentation, including the certificate of registration, certificate of airworthiness, flight manual, and flight log, was on board and in good condition. The landing weight was calculated at 5,751.8 lb, with the center of gravity at 129.8 inches, within the specified limits. ## Damage and Investigation Findings The left propeller had all three blades damaged at the tips with material loss; two were bent backward and one forward. The right propeller had all three blades damaged at the tips with material loss and bent forward. The left wing showed wear and material loss on the aileron’s lower trailing edge tip, aileron counterweight, wingtip, and flaps. The right wing had wear and material loss on the flaps’ lower trailing edge. The fuselage sustained wear and material loss on the vent cover, ADF antenna, transponder antenna, lower VHF antenna, and fluid drainage. The engines were subject to inspection due to the propeller impact. The investigation was conducted in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 and Chilean regulations, focusing on determining the causes for prevention purposes. The probable cause was not explicitly stated in the provided source text, but the incident involved a propeller strike during landing, leading to an aborted approach and subsequent safe landing.