What happened
On October 6, 2001, at approximately 10:42 hours, a Piper PA-28-200, registration EC-CUR, was performing a repositioning flight from La Juliana Aerodrome to Seville Airport. The flight was being conducted by an instructor for a flight school to move the aircraft empty to the school's base. The flight plan specified a 30-minute duration under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
Upon arrival at Seville Airport, the pilot was cleared for a left-hand approach to runway 27. During the landing roll, the propeller made contact with the runway surface, followed by the fuselage. The aircraft eventually came to a stop 1,120 meters from the runway threshold. The pilot declared an emergency and evacuated the aircraft. Fire services attended the scene and moved the aircraft off the runway.
The investigation
The investigation examined the physical damage to the aircraft and the pilot's actions during the landing phase. The inspection revealed that the aircraft had been resting on the nose gear door, the flap tips, and the cabin access step during the excursion. Additionally, the propeller blade tips were found to be bent inward.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure to correctly complete the landing checklist, specifically overlooking the section regarding the verification of the landing gear configuration.
- The aircraft sustained minor damage, including bent propeller blades and contact with the runway surface via the fuselage and flaps.