What happened
On August 26, 2015, a Piper PA-28-180, registration HK1577G, was conducting a training flight consisting of touch-and-go maneuvers at the Flaminio Suárez Camacho Aerodrome (SKGY) in Colombia. The student pilot had successfully completed three circuits without incident. However, during the fourth maneuver, the aircraft experienced a loss of directional control while taxiing on the runway.
As the aircraft decelerated, it began to drift toward the right side of the runway. The pilot attempted to correct the deviation by applying left rudder, but this resulted in the aircraft veering toward the left side of the runway. In an attempt to mitigate the situation, the pilot reduced engine power, which caused damage to the throttle lever. The aircraft subsequently exited the runway surface, striking a drainage ditch. The excursion ended 303 meters from the runway threshold, where the nose gear fractured and the engine suffered a sudden stoppage due to propeller impact.
Despite the impact, the pilot sustained only minor injuries and was able to exit the aircraft on his own. No post-incident fire occurred.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation focused on the pilot's training history and the mechanical condition of the aircraft. Investigators found that the aircraft was airworthy and had been maintained according to manufacturer requirements. The investigation also reviewed the student pilot's training records, noting that the student had flown with nine different instructors during the solo and maneuver phases. Additionally, the investigation identified a discrepancy in flight planning, as the scheduled maneuvers for that day were intended to be Chandelles and turns, rather than the touch-and-go maneuvers that were actually performed.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the loss of directional control on the ground, stemming from the student pilot's lack of experience in executing touch-and-go maneuvers.
- A lack of continuity in training contributed to the event, as the student's flight training was distributed among multiple instructors.
- The student pilot had experienced several periods of flight inactivity during the preceding five months.
- The aircraft sustained structural damage, including a fractured nose gear, deformed propeller blades, and damage to the engine cowling and left wing tip.