What happened
On September 19, 2023, a Piper PA-31 “Navajo” was conducting an aeromedical evacuation flight from La Junta (SCLJ) to the Teniente Vidal Aerodrome (SCCY) in Coyhai le, Chile. The aircraft was carrying a pilot, two medical crew members, and one patient.
During the landing phase on runway 21, the aircraft experienced a hard landing. The impact was forceful enough to cause significant structural damage to the aircraft, specifically affecting the left wing and the left main landing gear. Despite the severity of the impact, there were no injuries to the pilot, the medical crew, or the patient.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by DGAC Chile examined the aircraft's maintenance history, the pilot's credentials, and the meteorological conditions at the time of the event. The aircraft was undergoing a scheduled 100-hour inspection at a maintenance facility when the structural damage was officially identified.
Investigators analyzed the damage to the left wing, which included deformed ribs, broken rivets, and skin deformation, as well as the deformation of the landing gear attachment bolts. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's flight logs and communications with the aerodrome's flight service technician. Meteorological data indicated calm conditions with a light wind of 3 knots, suggesting that weather was not a contributing factor to the impact.
Findings
- The primary cause of the event was an abnormal contact with the runway (hard landing).
- The aircraft touched down with a leftward wing tilt, which concentrated the structural load on the left side of the airframe.
- The pilot failed to perform timely corrective actions, such as a flare, to reduce the vertical descent rate before touchdown.
- There were no mechanical failures or technical malfunctions identified in the aircraft's systems prior to the event.
- The aircraft's maintenance program and the pilot's certifications were both found to be in full compliance with regulatory requirements.