What happened
On November 27, 2012, a Piper PA-28-161 Cadet was performing night flight training at Wilhelmshaven (EDWI). The pilot, accompanied by a flight instructor, was conducting a series of seven touch-and-go landings. Following an initial verbal instruction, the pilot proceeded to perform five solo circuits on runway 20. During these maneuvers, the flight instructor monitored the flights from the control tower.
During the fifth circuit, the pilot landed approximately 100 meters behind the runway threshold. After touchdown, the pilot began reconfiguring the aircraft for takeoff by retracting the flaps and setting the carburetor heat to cold. At 17:10:36 UTC, the air traffic controller informed the pilot that there was no further traffic and suggested the pilot could backtrack. Upon receiving this instruction, the pilot attempted to abort the takeoff by reducing power and extending the flaps. However, the pilot noted that the aircraft did not decelerate as expected and indicated that the throttle may not have been fully retarded.
Unable to stop before the end of the runway, the aircraft overran the asphalt. While attempting to steer away from the initial lights, the aircraft collided with the approach lighting system for runway 02. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained significant damage and the approach lighting was destroyed.
The investigation
The BFU investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, the pilot's credentials, and the sequence of communications. The investigation found that the aircraft's brakes were fully functional and no brake marks were present on the runway, suggesting a lack of braking application. The investigation also reviewed the flight training requirements regarding night solo operations and the communication gap between the tower and the cockpit during the instructor's monitoring period.