Piper PA-28 Runway Overrun at Les Saintes Aerodrome (F-OIXM)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On October 3, 2015, at 10:20 local time, a Piper PA-28-160 with registration F-OIXM, operated by a club, was involved in an accident at Les Saintes Aerodrome (971). The aircraft was conducting a general aviation flight from Pointe-à-Pitre Le Raizet (971) to Les Saintes Aerodrome. The pilot and three passengers were on board. The aircraft sustained heavy damage. ## Flight Progression and Landing Sequence During the flight, the pilot observed wind from 140-150 degrees over the airfield and elected to land on runway 09. On the first approach, the pilot was too high and too fast, resulting in a go-around. On the second approach, a wind gust during the flare delayed the wheels' contact with the ground. The aircraft overran the runway longitudinally. The nose gear sank into sandy terrain, and the propeller struck the ground. ## Aerodrome and Environmental Conditions Les Saintes Aerodrome is a restricted-use facility located in a valley, featuring a single paved runway (09-27) measuring 544 meters with a 2% downhill slope. Nearby terrain necessitates a 30-degree offset approach to runway 09. The VAC chart notes the approach is difficult due to terrain and turbulence. At 10:00, the METAR from Pointe-à-Pitre Le Raizet reported visibility over 10 km, a temperature of 31°C, and wind from 160 degrees, variable between 120 and 190 degrees at 10 knots. ## Pilot and Aircraft Information The 24-year-old pilot held a professional pilot license issued in 2013, with 205 total flight hours, including 140 on type and 6 hours in the preceding three months. He had completed a training flight at Les Saintes on March 28, 2014, to obtain authorization to use the aerodrome, and had made several subsequent flights with full landings, the most recent on April 25, 2015. The PA-28 flight manual lists a maximum weight landing distance of approximately 345 meters under specific test conditions, noting that performance in other conditions must be evaluated by the pilot. ## Safety Lessons and Conclusion The runway overrun resulted from the failure to execute a go-around following a long touchdown. The DGAC was revising regulations for Les Saintes, Baillif, and Saint-Barthélemy aerodromes to strengthen pilot training and recent experience requirements. On limiting runways, a go-around is generally preferred over continuing a landing, unless obstacles or specific circumstances make it impossible. A go-around can be initiated at any time, even after the wheels have touched the ground.