What happened
On August 17, 2014, at approximately 15:17 local time, a Piper PA31-310 (registration HK4745) was performing a non-scheduled air taxi flight from Los Pozos Aerodrome in San Gil, Colombia, to Palonegro Aerodrome. The aircraft was carrying two crew members and two passengers.
At the time of the incident, a local kite festival was being held adjacent to the aerodrome. Despite the fact that the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority had previously denied authorization for using the runway for such festivities, large numbers of people and vehicles had occupied the runway, apron, and safety zones. Although the crew had requested local police to clear the area prior to departure and had performed a visual inspection of the field, the runway remained contaminated by festival activities.
During the takeoff roll on runway 35, before reaching rotation speed, the leading edge of the aircraft's right wing struck a person on the ground. The impact caused significant damage to the right wing, including a dented leading edge, damaged spars, and damage to the winglet. The crew continued the flight and landed safely at Palonegro, where they discovered the presence of blood and biological debris on the wing. It was subsequently confirmed that the individual struck on the runway had died from their injuries.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation established that the local municipality had used the aerodrome for purposes other than aviation without authorization. The investigation found that the aerodrome's perimeter fencing was insufficient, allowing the uncontrolled entry of people, vehicles, and livestock. Furthermore, the investigation noted poor demarcation of safety zones and a lack of functional wind indicators at the runway head.
Findings
- The fatal impact was caused by the deliberate incursion of persons into the protected area of the aerodrome.
- The operator's Safety Management System (SMS) failed to adequately address the known risks of runway incursions and the presence of unauthorized personnel and obstacles.
- The aerodrome lacked adequate physical security and perimeter controls to prevent unauthorized access to the maneuvering area.
- The use of the aerodrome for non-aviation purposes was conducted without the required regulatory approval.