Piper PA-28-181 EC-IIQ Accident at Burgos Airport

Incident Overview On Friday, 30 November 2007, at approximately 17:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 with registration EC-IIQ was involved in an accident at Burgos Airport. The aircraft was operated privately and was on a local visual flight rules (VFR) flight. The pilot, a 66-year-old private pilot with 635 total flight hours and 575 hours on type, was the sole occupant. ## Sequence of Events The accident occurred during the second landing attempt on runway 24. The pilot reported that the sun, which was low on the horizon, caused glare during the flare, similar to the first attempt. The pilot was unsure if they had confused the runway centerline with the left edge line but decided to continue the maneuver. Just before touchdown, the left main landing gear and the left wing struck a dirt mound located near the runway edge. This impact caused the left wing and the left main gear to detach. The aircraft continued on the ground before eventually overturning on the left runway strip. ## Damage and Injuries The aircraft sustained major damage, including the loss of the left wing and left main landing gear. The remaining lifting surfaces suffered significant breakage upon impact with the ground. The propeller blades were heavily deformed, though the propeller did not detach. The pilot was assisted in evacuation by construction workers at the airport and sustained minor injuries, limited to scratches on the head. ## Environmental and Airport Conditions Meteorological conditions were suitable for VFR flight, with CAVOK conditions, winds of 270/05 kt, and a temperature of 7 °C. The National Astronomical Observatory recorded sunset at 17:44 local time. At the time of the accident, Burgos Airport was undergoing renovation, with a new terminal and runway 04-22 under construction. Due to earthworks, a dirt mound approximately 1 meter high and 18 m² in surface area was present at a vertex where the new taxiway met the operational runway near runway 24. ## Investigation and Conclusions The investigation confirmed the presence of the obstacle in the left strip of runway 24. The low sun angle during the landing likely caused glare, limiting the pilot's vision and preventing proper alignment with the runway centerline. The accident was attributed to the coincidence of two factors: the temporary presence of the dirt mound in a prohibited area (which had already been ordered removed) and the pilot's glare from the sun during the landing, which may have led to a misalignment with the runway edge.