Accident Overview
On 12 September 2015 at 11:30 UTC, a privately operated Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche, registered TU-GAF, departed from Runway 21 of Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, for a training flight. The aircraft carried two persons: a pilot and a passenger.
At approximately 300 feet (100 meters) after takeoff, the pilot reported difficulties with the flight controls and requested an emergency landing. The pilot informed air traffic control that he could not reach Runway 21 and requested Runway 03 instead. The controller granted clearance at 11:25 and alerted airport fire services.
The aircraft descended with a pronounced right bank before striking the runway. The first impact was with the right wing tip, followed by the fuselage. The airplane then slid off the runway and came to rest approximately 40 meters east of the runway edge on a sandy area between runway edge lights A12 and B21. Emergency personnel arrived within three minutes and assisted both occupants, who were uninjured.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche (serial number 301488), manufactured by Piper Aircraft Corp. It was powered by two Lycoming IO-320 engines. The aircraft was not equipped with cockpit voice or flight data recorders, as not required by regulations. It had undergone an airworthiness inspection seven days before the accident.
The pilot was a 51-year-old French national holding a valid Ivorian private pilot license (No. CI-PPL A0006) valid until 31 March 2016.
Meteorological Conditions
The meteorological observation at the time indicated visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with visibility greater than 10 km, scattered clouds at 330 m, temperature 27°C, and wind from 240° at 10 to 13 knots. The accident occurred in daylight.
Accident Sequence
According to the pilot's testimony, the pre-flight inspection, checklists, and engine run-up revealed no anomalies. After takeoff from Runway 21, at about 300 feet, the pilot intended to retract the landing gear when the aircraft began a left turn. Despite corrective inputs with ailerons and rudder, the turn continued. The pilot verified engine operation and found both engines functioning normally. He managed to temporarily stabilize the aircraft by adjusting engine power (reducing right engine, full power left), but the flight controls remained unresponsive. The pilot requested emergency landing on Runway 03. Before entering the landing pattern, he performed a complete checklist: flaps retracted, visual wing check, autopilot on stand-by (green light), rudder trim neutral, elevator trim neutral, no control binding detected. Nevertheless, the aircraft remained uncontrollable and entered an uncontrolled right turn with flaps extended, descending until the right wing tip struck the right edge of the runway. The aircraft then impacted the ground at an estimated 45° angle, with landing gear extended. No fire occurred despite a substantial fuel load.
Wreckage Examination
The wreckage was moved to a hangar for examination. The right wing, which struck the ground, still had its aileron control intact and functional. The left wing, externally undamaged in the crash, was found to be structurally weakened, possibly exacerbated during towing. No tests could be performed on the left wing controls. The landing gear, propellers, empennage, and fuselage sustained major damage.
Analysis
Based on pilot, passenger, and air traffic control reports, as well as recordings of air-ground communications, the aircraft had no known defects and was operated within mass and balance limits. The engines were functioning normally and allowed the pilot to attempt to counter the roll and maintain an attitude less than 45°.