What happened
On November 30, 2007, at approximately 17:30 local time, a private PIPER PA-28-181, registration EC-IIQ, was performing a local flight under visual flight rules (VFR) at Burgos Airport. The flight was operated by a private pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft.
During the second landing attempt on runway 24, the pilot experienced intense sun glare caused by the low position of the sun near the horizon. This glare led the pilot to potentially misidentify the left edge of the runway as the runway centerline. As the aircraft made contact with the ground, the left main landing gear and the left wing struck a dirt mound located adjacent to the runway edge. The impact caused the left wing and landing gear to detach from the airframe. The aircraft continued along the ground before coming to a stop on the left side of the runway strip. The pilot sustained serious injuries to the crew members (specifically, the pilot suffered head abrasions) and one person was uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the presence of an obstacle within the runway strip and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. At the time of the occurrence, Burgos Airport was undergoing significant remodeling, including the construction of a new terminal and a new runway. This construction work had resulted in a dirt mound, approximately 1 meter high and 18 square meters in area, being placed near the intersection of a taxiway and runway 24.
Investigators examined the aircraft's damage, which included the loss of the left wing and landing gear, structural damage to other lifting surfaces, and significant deformation of the propeller blades. The investigation also reviewed the meteorological conditions, noting that while visibility was otherwise good (CAVOK), the sun was positioned directly in the pilot's line of sight during the approach.
Findings
- The presence of a dirt mound within the runway strip acted as a prohibited obstacle. Although airport personnel had previously identified the mound and requested its removal from the construction company, it remained in place at the time of the accident.
- Sun glare significantly impaired the pilot's vision, likely causing a failure to maintain the aircraft on the runway centerline.
- The coincidence of the low sun angle and the unauthorized obstacle directly led to the impact with the left side of the aircraft.