What happened
On August 7, 2003, a SOCATA TB-200, registration EC-GVQ, was performing a general aviation pleasure flight originating from Cuatro Vientos. The planned route included several stops near Navalcarnero and Casas de los Pinos. While attempting to land on runway 30 at the Casas de los Pinos aerodrome, the aircraft overran the end of the runway, coming to rest approximately 30 meters beyond the paved surface of the runway 12 threshold.
The aircraft traveled across a slight downward slope before stopping. While the structural integrity of the airframe remained intact, the impact caused significant damage to the propeller, engine, engine mount, firewall, and nose landing gear. The two occupants of the aircraft, the pilot and one passenger, were uninjured and were able to evacuate the aircraft without difficulty. No fire occurred during the event.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the pilot's experience. The aircraft had recently undergone a 2,000-hour inspection, which included an engine replacement, only 11 hours prior to the accident. The pilot held a private pilot license with approximately 100 total flight hours, including 52 hours in this specific aircraft type.
The pilot reported that after aborting an initial approach due to excessive speed, a second approach was conducted via a left downwind leg for runway 30. Upon touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes but felt they were not sufficiently effective. The pilot considered a go-around but determined there was insufficient runway remaining and airspeed to do so. While the pilot could not confirm the exact wind conditions due to poor visibility of the windsock, the investigation considered the meteorological data from a nearby airbase.
Findings
- The investigation found no evidence of mechanical failure in the aircraft or the braking system.
- The pilot's relatively limited flight experience and unfamiliarity with the aerodrome were contributing factors.
- A long landing combined with a potentially high touchdown speed was the primary cause of the excursion.
- It is probable that a tailwind of approximately 3 to 4 knots contributed to a higher-than-expected ground speed during the landing roll.