2010 Piper PA-28-140 accident at Herzogenaurach

Overview and identification details On 15 June 2010, a Piper Aircraft Corporation PA 28-140 was involved in an accident at Herzogenaurach. The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) closed the investigation summarily under §18 FlUUG, presenting only the facts. The aircraft was a four-seat, low-wing, metal-construction airplane built in 1973, registered in Germany and operated by a club. Its last airworthiness inspection was on 10 April 2010. ## Flight and accident sequence The pilot departed from Verkehrslandeplatz Weser-Wümme (EDWM) at 09:45 local time with one other person aboard, flying under visual flight rules toward Herzogenaurach (EDQH). After about 2.5 hours, the pilot reported joining the opposite-direction approach to runway 08 at 1,900 feet, with full landing flaps and normal approach speed. Touchdown occurred at 12:18 local time, about 120–140 m before the runway end. While attempting to leave the runway via taxiway A, which branches off to the right at a right angle, the left wing struck a runway lighting lamp and the aircraft slid into a ditch. ## People and aircraft condition The 71-year-old pilot held a private pilot licence issued under JAR-FCL German rules, with SEP land and night qualifications valid until 30 January 2011, and a Class 2 medical certificate valid until 10 January 2011, with a glasses requirement. Total experience was 469 hours and 1,514 takeoffs and landings, with about 250 hours on the type. In the preceding 90 days, he had 12 takeoffs and landings and eight hours of flight time. One person was lightly injured. The aircraft was heavily damaged: the left wing was deformed, the nose gear was bent, and the propeller was bent. There was no third-party damage. ## Meteorology and airport Visual flight weather conditions prevailed. According to air traffic control, visibility was more than 20 km, wind was from 10° at five knots, temperature was 16–18 °C, and pressure was 1,018 hPa. Herzogenaurach airfield lies about 0.8 nautical miles north of the town and has an asphalt runway 700 m long and 20 m wide, oriented 08/26, with a landing distance available of 700 m for runway 08. ## Accident site and findings The accident site was east of taxiway A and about 20 m left of the runway centreline, in a grass-covered ditch about 1 m deep. The investigation was conducted in accordance with the German Aircraft Accident Investigation Act (FlUUG), whose sole purpose is the prevention of future accidents and incidents, not the determination of fault, liability, or claims.