What happened
On June 17, 2014, a Piper PA-36-375, registration PR-TBE, was performing a repositioning flight from Engenheiro Beltrão to Fazenda Bunge in Ouroeste, São Paulo. The flight included an intermediate stop in Regente Feijó for refueling.
Upon arriving at the landing site—a dirt strip measuring approximately 750 meters by 20 meters—the pilot executed the landing roll. During the initial phase of the ground roll, the pilot applied the brakes, causing the aircraft to lose directional control. The aircraft veered off the runway 82 meters from the touchdown point. The incident resulted in substantial damage to the left main landing gear, left wing tip, propeller, and engine cowling. The pilot was uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators established that the landing strip at Fazenda Bunge was not listed in the ROTAER. While the strip was an unpaved surface, it was found to be free of holes or significant depressions that would have necessitated an emergency short landing. The pilot had performed the approach at a standard speed of 70 mph.
Investigators noted that the pilot was operating the specific aircraft model for the first time, with only four hours of total time in the type, and was landing at this specific destination for the first time. The investigation also considered the mechanical integrity of the braking system; although the braking components sustained damage during the excursion, there was no evidence of a pre-existing mechanical failure, as the aircraft's maintenance records were up to date and no abnormalities were reported during previous flight segments.
Findings
- The aircraft's conventional landing gear configuration inherently possesses directional instability on the ground, requiring precise pilot input.
- The pilot likely applied the brakes with excessive or differential force, potentially due to a lack of familiarity with the specific runway surface conditions.
- Improper application of control inputs and errors in pilot judgment contributed to the loss of directional control.