Piper PA-28-161 Cadet Runway Overrun at Wilhelmshaven

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 27 November 2012, a Piper Aircraft Corporation PA-28-161 Cadet, a four-seat, single-engine low-wing aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear, was involved in an accident at Wilhelmshaven (EDWI). The aircraft, built in 1989 and privately owned, was powered by a 119 kW Lycoming O-320-D3G engine. It had a total time of approximately 4,874:11 hours. The aircraft was heavily damaged, and approach lighting was also damaged. No injuries were reported. ## Flight Progression and Sequence of Events The 39-year-old pilot, who held a private pilot license and had 177:32 total flight hours, was conducting night flight training. After completing seven touch-and-go circuits with an instructor, he was cleared for five solo circuits on Runway 20. The instructor monitored the flights from the tower. During the fifth circuit, the pilot landed approximately 100 meters behind the runway threshold. He then configured the aircraft for takeoff by retracting the flaps and applying power. At 17:10:36 UTC, the tower controller informed the pilot that he could perform a backtrack. The pilot subsequently aborted the takeoff, reducing power and extending the flaps. However, the aircraft did not decelerate as expected. The pilot later stated he could not rule out that he had not fully retarded the throttle. Seventeen seconds later, he reported a problem, stating he had run into the lighting and could not stop in time. The aircraft rolled off the end of the runway, avoiding the first lights to the right before colliding with the approach lighting for Runway 02. ## Contributing Factors and Investigation Findings The investigation identified several factors contributing to the accident. The pilot did not independently end the flight after completing the assigned five solo circuits. According to FCL.810, the five solo landings should have been to a full stop, not touch-and-go. Additionally, the instructor did not have a separate radio to inform the pilot that the fifth landing was the final one. The tower controller was occupied with a phone call and did not provide clear information that the landing was the final one, instead offering the option to backtrack. The pilot did not consistently abort the takeoff, likely due to not fully reducing the throttle, and the remaining runway length was insufficient to stop the aircraft. ## Conclusion The accident was caused by the pilot's failure to consistently abort the intended takeoff roll, resulting in the aircraft not stopping before the end of the runway. The aircraft then collided with parts of the approach lighting after overrunning the runway.