Piper PA25-235 Runway Excursion During Takeoff at Ambalema, Colombia (HK1290)

Incident Overview and Flight History On May 17, 2017, a Piper PA25-235, registration HK-1290, operated by Sanidad Vegetal Cruz Verde S.A.S., was involved in a runway excursion during a takeoff at Pajonales airfield in Ambalema, Tolima, Colombia. The aircraft was engaged in special aerial work, specifically aerial spraying, when the incident occurred at 16:30 local time (11:30 UTC) under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) during daylight hours. The flight history indicated that the pilot, who also served as the company's Chief of Operations, arrived at the base at approximately 05:30 local time and conducted a test flight. Subsequently, the aircraft departed for the San Isidro hacienda, where it performed aerial spraying operations until 11:00 local time, making ten landings for refueling and chemical replenishment. After returning to the base for refueling, the pilot transferred the aircraft to Pajonales airfield around 14:00 local time to support operations in the northern sector. ## Accident Sequence and Damage At Pajonales, the pilot initiated a taxi and decided to take off in direction 05 without proceeding to the runway threshold, utilizing only approximately one-third (415 meters) of the available runway length. The aircraft failed to reach the necessary speed for a safe takeoff and positive climb, prompting the pilot to abort the takeoff. However, the aircraft could not be stopped within the available runway length, resulting in a prolonged runway excursion past threshold 23. Upon coming to a stop, the pilot exited the aircraft unassisted and sustained no injuries. The aircraft suffered substantial damage, including the collapse of the main landing gear due to terrain irregularities and a severe impact with a perimeter fence gate located 10 meters from threshold 23. The right wing sustained significant internal and external damage, the propeller blades were bent, and the tail skid was detached. ## Investigation Findings The investigation determined that the accident was caused by the pilot's erroneous decision to attempt a takeoff without using the full available runway length, relying on only 415 meters, which was insufficient to achieve flight speed. Additionally, the pilot aborted the takeoff too late, leaving insufficient runway length to stop the aircraft. Contributing factors included the inadequate implementation of the aircraft's Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) by the company and crew, leading to a lack of knowledge and application of takeoff performance criteria. Pilot fatigue was also a factor, as the pilot had accumulated 11 hours of duty time, 11 landings, and more than five hours of operation at the time of the accident. The company's inappropriate operational programming failed to account for the pilot's duty time and accumulated flight hours. Finally, the deficient conditions of the runway safety area at Pajonales, characterized by uneven terrain and a perimeter fence, contributed to the detachment of the main landing gear and substantial damage to the aircraft.