What happened
On June 4, 2008, at 10:30 local time, a PIPER PA-36-375 «Brave», registration EC-DGI, was performing agricultural rice sowing operations near Santa Amalia, Badajoz. The aircraft was operating from a temporary 750-meter dirt runway.
During the first flight of the day, the pilot attempted to take off with a load of rice seed and approximately 20 and 200 liters of fuel. As the aircraft reached the end of the runway, the pilot initiated a rotation to clear a wire fence located at the runway extremity. While the aircraft cleared the fence in a left turn, it subsequently lost altitude. The tail skid struck the fence twice—once parallel to the runway and once transversally. The pilot shut down the engine before the aircraft impacted the ground to avoid colliding with a nearby house. The pilot, the sole occupant, escaped without injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's weight, the takeoff performance, and the operational procedures of the operator, Trabajos Aéreos Espejo. Investigators found that the aircraft had been loaded with rice seed that had been moistened with water. Because the seeds had not been allowed sufficient time to drain, the weight of the cargo was significantly higher than dry seed alone.
Furthermore, the investigation established that the pilot had not performed a required familiarization flight, which is standard procedure when switching aircraft. The aircraft's takeoff weight was estimated to be near its maximum allowable limit of 2,177 kg. Given the environmental conditions and the unpaved runway, the required takeoff distance for such a heavy configuration was approximately 700 meters, leaving very little margin for error on the 750-meter strip.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating at a near-maximum takeoff weight due to the inclusion of excess water weight in the rice seed cargo.
- The takeoff distance available on the temporary dirt strip was critically limited.
- The pilot failed to perform a mandatory familiarization flight following a change in aircraft.
- The pilot's maneuver was inadequate for the aircraft's performance capabilities under the specific weight and runway conditions.