What happened
On November 5, 2008, a CESSNA F-172-N, registration EC-GPJ, was conducting a private local flight originating from Málaga Airport. The flight, which included the pilot and two passengers, intended to land at La Axarquía Aerodrome to allow the passengers to switch seats.
At approximately 09:35 local time, the aircraft landed on runway 13 following a right-hand circuit. During the landing roll, the aircraft overran the end of the runway, struck the aerodrome's perimeter fence, and descended down an embankment. The aircraft came to rest in an inverted position near the bank of the Benamargosa River. All 3 occupants sustained minor injuries and were able to exit the aircraft on their own.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the aircraft and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Post-accident inspections of the CESSNA F-172-N revealed that the flaps were in the retracted position. While the propeller showed no significant damage and the engine was likely at low RPM during impact, the inspection of the braking system identified two breaks in the left-side brake line and a broken brake caliper support. However, investigators determined these failures occurred due to the impact with the terrain rather than as a pre-existing mechanical fault.
Analysis of the runway surface showed symmetrical braking marks extending for 288 meters prior to the end of the paved area, indicating that the pilot had applied the brakes effectively and that braking force was distributed evenly between both wheels.
Findings
- The aircraft landed with a tailwind, as meteorological data indicated winds from the northwest (315°-338°) at 5 to 7 knots, with gusts up to 12.4 knots.
- The landing was likely performed with the flaps retracted, which contributed to an increased landing roll distance.
- The primary cause of the runway excursion was the execution of the landing maneuver with a tailwind.