What happened
On January 27, 2017, a Piper PA-28R-201, registration SP-TBK, was conducting a practical flight examination for a Commercial Pilot License (CPL(A)) at Grądy Aerodrome (EPGY). The flight involved a series of touch-and-go landings on runway 27, utilizing various aircraft configurations to simulate emergency and non-standard scenarios.
During the final planned exercise, which required a short-field landing attempt, the pilot approached the runway threshold at an insufficient speed and performed a flare too low. The aircraft's wheels contacted a layer of icy snow approximately 3 meters before the runway threshold, striking a 4-meter-high snow berm created during runway clearing. Following the initial impact, the pilot attempted a go-around but reported difficulty retracting the landing gear.
Upon conducting a low pass for inspection, ground personnel observed an abnormal rearward displacement of the left main landing gear strut. Due to visible deformation on the left wing, the flight instructor instructed the pilot to land immediately on the right side of the runway, suggesting the engine be shut down prior to touchdown. The pilot elected to land with the engine running. The aircraft touched down to the right of the runway centerline, once again striking a snow berm. This second impact caused the left landing gear to collapse. The aircraft decelerated on the right main and nose gear before settling onto the left wing, coming to a stop approximately 200 meters from the threshold. The crew exited the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of the two landings and the condition of the runway surface. Investigators examined the runway, which had been cleared of snow but remained covered in a thin layer of ice, with snow berms present at the edges and thresholds. Physical evidence at the scene included tracks from both landings and a detached component from the left landing gear fitting found 100 meters from the threshold.
Findings
- Improper approach path resulting in touchdown before the runway threshold.
- Lack of examiner intervention during the improper landing planning.
- The presence of a snow berm at the runway threshold, left in place following snow removal operations.
- Low visual contrast between the cleared runway and the surrounding snow-covered terrain.