What happened
On October 22, 2016, at approximately 5:30 p.m., a private Cessna 172R, registration HI-807, was involved in a serious incident at María Montez International Airport in Barahona, Dominican Republic. The flight was intended to proceed from Barahona to Dr. Joaquín Balaguer International Airport.
After taking off, the pilot requested permission from the control tower to perform a short-field landing practice. While executing the maneuver at low speed, the aircraft impacted the runway with excessive energy. This impact caused the left landing gear to collapse, resulting in a loss of directional control and a subsequent excursion off the left side of the runway. Both occupants on board were uninjured, but the aircraft sustained severe damage, including the failure of the left landing gear and deformation of the left horizontal stabilizer.
The investigation
The CIAA investigation examined the human, material, and physical factors involved in the event. The investigation included a visual inspection of the wreckage, photographic documentation, GPS mapping of the site, and interviews with the crew and witnesses.
Regarding the aircraft, investigators confirmed that the Cessna 172R was airworthy, having undergone its annual inspection in July 2016. No mechanical defects were found that would have contributed to the accident. Meteorological conditions at the time of the event were found to be favorable for the intended operation, and the runway surface was clear of contamination.
Findings
- The primary cause of the landing gear failure was the impact with excessive energy during the short-field landing attempt.
- The pilot, who had 77.8 total flight hours and 11.1 hours in this specific model, failed to manage the energy of the aircraft during the maneuver, exceeding the structural flexibility limits of the landing gear.