Runway Departure and Landing Gear Failure at Son Bonet Airport (EC-HMO)

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 17 December 2004 at 12:00 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 with registration EC-HMO was conducting takeoffs and landings at Son Bonet Airport in the Balearic Islands. The aircraft was privately operated and powered by a single Lycoming O-320 engine. The pilot in command was a 42-year-old private pilot with 125 total flight hours, including 75 hours on the type. ## Sequence of Events During a landing on runway 24, the aircraft departed the runway to the right. The pilot estimated crosswind conditions from 330° at approximately 8 knots. In an attempt to correct the aircraft's path and return to the runway, the pilot applied power to become airborne. This action resulted in the failure of the right main landing gear. The aircraft continued to move approximately 50 meters before coming to rest beyond the midpoint of the runway, about 10 meters from the edge. The occupants exited the aircraft independently after shutting down the engine and disconnecting the electrical system. ## Meteorological Conditions The METAR report for Palma Airport at 12:00 local time on 17 December 2004 indicated winds from 300° at 5 knots, varying between 260° and 330°. Visibility was greater than 10 km, with few clouds at 2,400 feet, a temperature of 16°C, and a QNH of 1,018 mb. Airport confirmation stated that conditions at Son Bonet were practically the same at that time. ## Damage and Injuries The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including a broken propeller and landing gear, engine damage, and dents and damage to the fuselage and both wings. Both the pilot and the passenger were uninjured. ## Analysis and Probable Cause The pilot reported no adverse conditions at touchdown that would have affected taxiing. Although crosswind existed, its low intensity did not constitute a significant difficulty for landing and taxiing. The analysis concluded that the pilot's actions to correct the aircraft's heading and apply power after departing the runway significantly increased loads on the right landing gear, leading to its failure. Given the aircraft's initial position on the runway, the most appropriate action would have been to recover control by applying brakes to a complete stop.