What happened
On October 30, 2000, a Piper PA-60 was conducting a private cross-country flight from Koblenz to Poprad, Slovakia. During the flight, the pilot noticed fluctuating fuel gauge readings while flying through turbulent air. Seeking to verify the fuel status, the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing at the Coburg-Brandensteinsebene airfield.
The aircraft landed on runway 30 at 14:56 CET under wind conditions of 210 degrees at 20 knots. The pilot utilized an approach speed of 135 knots with 20 degrees of flaps. During the landing roll, the pilot released the brakes to correct the aircraft's direction due to a strong crosswind component. Following this correction, the pilot attempted to brake again but was unable to stop the aircraft before the end of the runway.
The aircraft exited the runway at significant speed, crossing a perimeter fence and an access road before coming to rest in the bushes on an adjacent slope. The impact caused the right wing to separate from the fuselage, and leaking fuel ignited, resulting in a fire. The pilot successfully escaped through the right-side emergency exit, sustaining minor injuries.
The investigation
An investigation by the BFU examined the braking tracks and the aircraft's mechanical condition. Investigators found that the aircraft touched down approximately 320–330 meters from the threshold, initially drifting slightly left before returning to the centerline. No braking marks were found from the right main wheel.
A check of the hydraulic brake system revealed no defects that would have contributed to the failure to stop. The investigation also noted that the manufacturer's manual specifies a demonstrated maximum crosswind component of 15 knots, whereas the actual crosswind during the accident was 20 knots.
Findings
- The pilot's approach speed of 135 knots was significantly higher than the recommended speed for the aircraft's weight, which should have been between 92 and 108 knots.
- The high approach speed resulted in a required landing distance that exceeded the available runway length.
- The aircraft's landing roll required approximately 710 meters based on the touchdown speed, but the available landing distance available at the airfield was only 860 meters, which did not account for the high-speed approach and the loss of braking efficiency during directional corrections.