What happened
On August 14, 2024, at approximately 00:08 local time, a Piper PA-31T1 was performing a secondary medical transport (air ambulance) mission at Chacalluta Aerodrome (SCAR) in Arica, Chile. The flight crew, consisting of two pilots, was accompanied by three passengers. During the landing phase on runway 02, the left wingtip of the aircraft made contact with the runway surface.
Despite the impact, there were no injuries among the two pilots or the three passengers. The contact resulted in superficial damage to the aircraft, specifically abrasions on the underside of the left wingtip fuel tank.
The investigation
DGAC Chile investigators examined the aircraft and the landing site. At the scene, a white diagonal mark was observed extending from the runway toward the safety area, consistent with the aircraft sliding along the pavement.
Technical inspections of the Piper PA-31T1 revealed two distinct areas of longitudinal wear on the bottom of the left wingtip fuel tank. The first area of wear measured approximately 40 x 4 centimeters, while the second measured 33 x 5.5 centimeters. The inspection confirmed that the fuel tank, which was painted white on its underside, showed no signs of fuel leaks, dents, or structural deformation. Furthermore, the attachment bolts for the tank and the wing surfaces remained intact.
Maintenance records indicated that the aircraft had undergone a 100-hour inspection approximately 87 hours prior to the event. The aircraft's engines and propellers were also found to be within their inspection intervals, and all functional tests of the aircraft systems performed on the ground yielded no discrepancies.
Findings
- The primary cause of the event was the left wingtip making contact with the runway surface during the landing roll.
- The aircraft's maintenance status was current, with all required inspections and airworthiness directives completed.
- There was no evidence of mechanical failure in the landing gear, engines, or flight control surfaces.