What happened
On May 26, 2006, a Mooney M20S, registration HB-DHY, was participating in a multi-leg navigation raid traveling from Zurich to Malta. After departing from the Giubiliana airpark in Ragusa, Sicily, for a short flight to Pantelleria, the aircraft returned to the same airfield approximately eight minutes later.
While attempting to land on runway 07, the aircraft touched down near the middle of the runway. The landing was characterized by a bounce, lifting the aircraft about 1.5 meters off the ground. Following this bounce, the pilot attempted a go-around. However, the aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude and continued flying parallel to the runway surface until it struck a dry-stone perimeter wall located at the end of the runway, near the threshold of runway 25. The impact caused a massive post-crash fire that destroyed the forward fuselage and cockpit, resulting in three fatalities.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation examined the aircraft's mechanical condition, the pilot's performance, and the airfield's infrastructure. Technical inspections of the Mooney M20S revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or maintenance deficiencies. The aircraft's weight and balance were within operational limits.
Investigators also scrutinized the airfield environment. It was noted that the windsock at the north side of the hangar was non-functional, and the second windsock was only partially operational. Furthermore, the investigation found that the official ENAC website did not accurately reflect the specific operational limitations or the physical characteristics of the Giubiliana runway. The investigation also identified that the runway's horizontal markings did not comply with current regulatory standards.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the impact with a perimeter wall following an aborted landing performed with suboptimal flight parameters.
- The pilot experienced a period of indecision following the initial bounce, eventually deciding to execute a go-around when the remaining runway length became critically low.
- The go-around maneuver was executed improperly; the aircraft failed to achieve a positive rate of climb, likely due to a delay in applying full power or an improper flap retraction sequence.
- Environmental factors included a light tailwind from the southwest, which contributed to the landing dynamics.
- The airfield's wind direction indicators were inefficient, and the facility's specific operational constraints were not properly documented in official aeronautical information.