What happened
On 15 November 2015, a Piper PA-32-300, registration 9M-AVN, was attempting to depart from Pangkor Airport in Perak, Malaysia. The aircraft, operated by Excel Bond Leisure Air Sdn Bhd, was carrying a pilot, a co-pilot, and two passengers. The flight was intended to be a short trip back to Subang.
During the takeoff roll on Runway 04, the pilot followed standard procedures for the Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) airport. While the aircraft reached its rotation speed of approximately 70 knots about 600 meters down the 800-meter runway, the aircraft initially experienced a slight climb followed by a descent back onto the runway. As the pilot continued with full power to complete the takeoff, the aircraft became airborne but its tail struck the airport's perimeter fence. This impact caused the aircraft to nose-dive into the shallow sea at the end of the runway, where it subsequently flipped over and came to rest inverted in about two meters of water.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the wreckage, the flight history, and the circumstances surrounding the takeoff. Investigators noted that the aircraft had arrived at Pangkor the previous day and had been properly secured under a tarpaulin. Pre-flight checks performed by the crew on the day of the accident showed no abnormalities, and all engine parameters appeared normal.
Because the engine had ingested seawater and all fuel and fluids had been drained by local authorities during the initial recovery efforts, investigators were unable to perform laboratory tests on the engine or fuel samples. The investigation also noted that the aircraft sustained additional damage to the nose-wheel assembly and engine cowlings during the back-hoe recovery process, rather than from the impact itself.
Findings
- The aircraft's tail clipped the airport perimeter fence during the takeoff attempt.
- The aircraft ended up inverted in shallow water, resulting in minor injuries to all 4 occupants.
- The aircraft sustained significant damage to the propeller, left wingtip, and tail section.
- The engine and fuel state could not be analyzed due to the ingestion of seawater and the prior draining of fluids by recovery teams.
- The accident is classified as an unknown power plant system component failure.