What happened
On March 30, 2007, at 07:06 UTC, a Bambi MCR 01, registration EC-ZBQ, was performing a non-commercial private flight from Málaga Airport to Gran Canaria. The aircraft was occupied by a pilot and one passenger. Following the landing of an Airbus A320, the pilot received authorization for immediate takeoff from the control tower.
During the initial climb phase after rotation, the aircraft experienced a sudden rightward tilt and erratic vertical movements. The pilot attempted to correct the deviation using the flight controls and power lever, but the aircraft failed to respond to the inputs. The aircraft subsequently descended and impacted the ground approximately 300 meters from the runway threshold, 15 meters from the right edge of the runway. The impact resulted in significant damage to the aircraft, including the separation of the right wing from the fuselage, a collapsed right landing gear, and damage to the nose gear and propeller. Both occupants survived, with one person remaining uninjured and the other sustaining minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the timing between the arrival of the preceding Airbus A320 and the departure of the EC-ZBQ. Records from Air Traffic Control confirmed that less than one minute had elapsed between the arrival of the heavy aircraft and the takeoff of the light aircraft.
Investigators examined the aircraft's control surfaces and found no significant defects or discontinuities in the flight controls. Meteorological data indicated a light wind from the left, which favored the presence of wake vortices on the runway. The investigation also reviewed the Air Traffic Regulations regarding wake turbulence separation, specifically noting that current regulations regarding two-minute separation intervals primarily apply to displaced thresholds, which was not the case in this instance.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the encounter with wake turbulence generated by the wingtips of the preceding Airbus A320.
- The short takeoff roll of the Bambi MCR 01 meant its climb trajectory intersected or remained below the descent path of the heavy aircraft that had just landed.
- The light leftward wind contributed to the wake vortices remaining on the runway surface.
- Existing separation regulations did not specifically mandate a time interval for aircraft following a landing on a standard runway, even when the light aircraft's takeoff roll is short enough to encounter the heavy aircraft's wake.