What happened
On December 17, 2004, at approximately 12:00 local time, a private PIPER PA-18-150, registration EC-HMO, was performing touch-and-go operations on runway 24 at Son Bonet Airport in the Balearic Islands. During one of the landings, the aircraft encountered a crosswind of approximately 8 knots from 330°. This caused the aircraft to veer off the right side of the runway.
In an attempt to recover the aircraft's trajectory and return to the runway, the pilot applied power to initiate a takeoff. During this maneuver, the right landing gear strut failed. The aircraft continued to travel approximately 50 meters along the ground, eventually coming to a stop roughly halfway down the runway and about 10 meters from the edge. Both the pilot and the passenger were able to evacuate the aircraft safely and sustained no injuries.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's actions and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. While a crosswind was present, the intensity of the wind was low enough that it should not have significantly hindered runway control. The investigation focused on the pilot's decision to apply power and attempt a corrective maneuver while the aircraft was already off the paved surface.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained significant damage, including a broken propeller, a broken landing gear, engine damage, and structural dents to the fuselage and both wings.
- The primary cause of the loss of directional control was the incorrect execution of the landing maneuver.
- The failure of the right landing gear was caused by excessive loads placed on the strut when the pilot attempted to steer the aircraft back toward the runway while simultaneously applying power to take off.