What happened
On the morning of April 7, 2024, a Piper PA-28-181 Archer II was conducting a local flight departing from the Spa/La Sauvenière aerodrome (EBSP). The flight, which included three occupants, was intended to be a recreational trip over Lake Robertville. After performing several touch-and-go landings to regain flight proficiency, the pilot commenced the approach to runway 23.
During the final leg of the approach, the aircraft's left wing struck a line of trees located near the runway. While the pilot attempted to maneuver the aircraft to the right to avoid the obstacle, the collision caused significant impact. Despite the strike, the pilot was able to maintain control and landed the aircraft safely on the runway. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the leading edge of the left wing tip.
The investigation
AAIU(Be) conducted a limited-scope investigation, utilizing flight data from SkyDemon software and CCTV footage from the aerodrome. The investigation reconstructed the flight path, revealing that the aircraft was flying at a slope shallower than 3 degrees at the time of the collision. The aircraft was approximately 500 meters from the runway threshold when the impact occurred.
Investigators also examined the physical environment, noting that the terrain in front of runway 23 slopes upward. While the trees were found to be within the legal limits of the Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS), the aircraft's flight path was below the required 5% inclination surface. Additionally, the investigation looked into the pilot's cockpit configuration, noting that a missing seat cushion resulted in the pilot sitting lower than usual, which may have altered his perception of the glide path.