What happened
On August 29, 2020, a private Cessna 303, registered as HK-4344G, departed from Guaymaral (SKGY) on a humanitarian flight destined for El Espino, Boyacá. The flight, operated by Alianza para el Progreso S.A.S., carried three occupants, including the pilot.
Upon arrival at El Espino, a high-altitude airfield located at 7,000 feet MSL, the pilot performed a reconnaissance overflight. During this pass, the pilot estimated a tailwind of approximately 10 knots for runway 08. The pilot proceeded to land on runway 08 using full flaps at an approach speed of 80 knots. However, the aircraft touched down approximately 200 meters past the threshold.
Immediately after touchdown, the pilot retracted the flaps and applied the brakes. The pilot noted that the braking effectiveness felt diminished. Due to the high ground speed of 102 knots and the tailwind component, the aircraft could not be stopped within the remaining runway distance. The aircraft overran the end of the runway, impacting uneven terrain and a wire fence. All 3 occupants were able to evacuate the aircraft without injuries, though the aircraft sustained substantial structural damage, including engine mount fractures and landing gear failure.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation established that the pilot was landing at an unfamiliar airfield and had relied on informal information from other pilots rather than formal aeronautical data. The investigation found that the pilot's landing performance calculations were insufficient for the specific challenges of the airfield, which featured a short runway (2,200 feet) and high density altitude.
Investigators determined that the pilot's decision to land on runway 08, despite the identified tailwind, was a critical error. Furthermore, the presence of a paved area before the threshold had caused confusion regarding the actual start of the usable runway. The investigation also noted that the heavy braking at high speeds caused the brake system to overheat, further reducing stopping effectiveness.
Findings
- Runway excursion resulting from a long landing performed with a tailwind and excessive ground speed on a limited runway.
- Poor decision-making by the pilot, who chose to proceed with the landing instead of performing a go-around when a long landing was becoming evident.
- Incomplete flight planning, as the pilot operated at an unfamiliar, high-altitude, mountainous airfield without sufficient formal information.
- Failure to calculate required landing performance for the specific environmental conditions (high altitude and short runway).
- Error in selecting runway 08 despite the presence of a 10-knot tailwind and limited safety margins.