What happened
On March 14, 2001, at 18:10 local time, a Piper PA-3im6-285 (registration EC-CUX) was performing agricultural spraying operations near Vitigudino, Salamanca. The aircraft was utilizing an improvised landing strip consisting of a rural road within the municipality.
Upon landing on a northeast heading, the aircraft began to deviate to the right. The right main landing gear entered a drainage ditch running alongside the road. As the aircraft continued to roll along the bottom of the ditch, the gear struck a concrete pipe used for farm access. This impact caused the right main gear to break, forcing a sharp rightward turn that sent the aircraft into a recently plowed field. Because the soil was extremely loose, the left main gear sank and subsequently collapsed, causing the aircraft to slide on its belly until it came to a halt. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries to the crew and minor injuries to a passenger, though the pilot was able to egress the aircraft independently.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's configuration and the operational environment. Investigators examined the cockpit design of the Piper PA-36-285, noting that the pilot's position is situated at the trailing edge of the wing, with the nose extending forward approximately 3 meters. This configuration places the pilot's eyes at nearly the same height as the nose when the aircraft is in a three-point stance, significantly restricting the forward field of vision during takeoff and landing.
Furthermore, the investigation analyzed the dimensions of the improvised runway. The track was approximately 4.5 meters wide, while the track width of the aircraft is 2.65 meters. This left less than one meter of clearance between the main wheels and the edge of the track on either side, requiring immediate and precise directional corrections by the pilot.
Findings
- The investigation established that the reduced width of the improvised runway left very little margin for error.
- The pilot's insufficient reaction to the initial rightward deviation prevented the aircraft from staying on the track.
- The limited field of vision from the cockpit contributed to the pilot's inability to detect and correct the deviation before the right main gear entered the ditch.