Accident Details
On 30 September 2021 at 15:15 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 (registration EC-DBU) was landing on runway 08 at Casarrubios del Monte aerodrome in Toledo, Spain. The aircraft had departed from Cuatro Vientos airport with four persons on board: a pilot and three passengers (two journalists and a student).
During the landing roll, the aircraft did not stop within the runway boundaries. It exited the end of the runway following a curved path to the right. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft fell down an embankment at the end of the runway. Two passengers sustained minor injuries; the pilot and the remaining passenger were uninjured. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
Aircraft and Crew
The aircraft was a PIPER PA-28-181, serial number 28-7890126, manufactured in 1977. It had a Lycoming O-360-A4M engine with 180 hp. The maximum takeoff weight was 1157 kg. The aircraft had accumulated 6416.8 flight hours at the time of the accident. It had undergone a 100-hour inspection on 3 August 2021.
The pilot, aged 26, held a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) issued on 8 May 2020, with single-engine land (SPE) and instrument (IR) ratings valid until 31 May 2022, and a flight instructor (FI(A)) rating valid until 28 February 2024. The pilot had a total of 248 flight hours, including 108 hours as pilot-in-command and 40 hours on the accident aircraft type.
Investigation Findings
The investigation concluded that the cause of the accident was an inadequate execution of the landing maneuver. The aircraft's load and balance were within limits. The weather at the time was reported as light winds.