Incident Overview
On August 5, 2022, a Piper PA-28-161 with registration EC-GBL experienced a runway overrun at the aerodrome of Casarrubios del Monte (LEMT) in Toledo, Spain. The aircraft was operated by Club Deportivo Básico Air Team One Flight Club for a private general aviation flight. At the time of the accident, the pilot and two passengers were on board; all three individuals remained uninjured.
Operational Context
The pilot, who held both Private Pilot License (PPL) and Commercial Pilot License (CPL), had approximately 213 total flight hours, including around 110 hours in this specific aircraft type. The incident occurred during the landing phase of a local flight that lasted approximately one hour. Prior to the final approach, the pilot reported encountering turbulence, which led to maintaining an indicated airspeed of 70 knots, higher than standard for the configuration.
Sequence of Events
During the final approach to Runway 08, the aircraft encountered rising air, causing it to ascend unexpectedly. The pilot initiated a go-around maneuver by applying full power. However, before the climb could be established, the aircraft descended sharply and made an energetic three-point contact with the runway surface near its midpoint.
Despite the pilot's application of brakes and rudder inputs to maintain centerline alignment, the aircraft failed to stop within the available runway length. It overran the threshold, traversed the runway strip, and began descending a slope adjacent to the airfield. The aircraft came to a halt after becoming entangled in bushes. The pilot cut the fuel mixture as the aircraft left the paved surface, causing the engine to stop quickly.
Damage and Investigation Findings
The impact resulted in damage to the nose landing gear leg, the propeller, and the rudder. No other significant damages were reported. The investigation concluded that the probable cause was the contact with the runway during landing after having passed the midpoint of the runway length. A contributing factor identified was the pilot's decision not to abort the landing earlier during the approach when the aircraft began to rise due to thermal activity.