Piper PA-44-180 Runway Excursion at El Caimán Aerodrome, Colombia (HK2234)

Incident Overview and Flight History On June 29, 2020, a Piper PA-44-180, registration HK2234G, operated by Aviación Marbella Ltda., was returning to Guaymaral Airport after completing livestock vaccination work at El Caimán Aerodrome in Orocué, Casanare, Colombia. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft began an uncommanded movement to the left. The pilot attempted to maintain control, but the aircraft left the runway to the left and came to rest in the safety area, approximately 210 meters from the threshold of runway 21 and about 20 meters from the runway edge. ## Occupants, Damage, and Investigation The two occupants, a pilot and a passenger, evacuated by their own means and were uninjured. There was no fuel spillage or fire. The aircraft sustained significant damage, including lower fuselage damage, damage to the main landing-gear doors from the left main gear separating, flap damage, and sudden stoppage of both engines with propeller blade deformation. The investigation group was notified two days after the event, and preliminary information was obtained from the operator and the club to which the aircraft was affiliated. The event was reported to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board as the state of manufacture. ## Probable Cause and Contributing Factors The investigation determined that the serious incident occurred because of a lateral runway excursion following loss of directional control during the takeoff roll. This loss of control was probably caused by the runway condition, which was wet and had standing water, conditions that could have caused hydroplaning and the loss of directional control.