What happened
On February 10, 2021, a Piper PA-28-140, registration HK5234, was conducting a flight training mission between Vanguardia Airport (SKVV) in Villavicencio and the Capitán Rafael Antonio Gross Bohórquez Aerodrome (SKVN) in Villanueva. During a touch-and-go maneuver at the Villanueva aerodrome, the crew experienced a wildlife strike when a dog entered the runway and struck the left side of the aircraft.
Following the impact, the instructor performed a visual inspection of the runway, which revealed a deceased animal on the pavement. The crew decided to terminate the training session and return to Villavicencio. During the return flight, the instructor implemented procedures for a low-speed landing to mitigate the risk of potential structural failure. Although the aircraft initially landed normally on runway 05 at Vanguardia, the left main landing gear collapsed while the aircraft was decelerating. The aircraft tilted sharply to the left and came to a halt in the middle of the runway. Both the instructor and the student pilot evacuated the aircraft without injuries.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation focused on the structural integrity of the landing gear and the operational environment at the Villanueva aerodrome. Investigators examined the fracture of the mechanical attachment elements, specifically the bolts and rivets. The analysis revealed that the impact with the animal at Villanueva had caused the total fracture of eight bolts (both upper and lower) and ten rivets connecting the tee element to the wing's main spar. While some fasteners remained intact enough to support the gear during the flight back to Villavicencio, the stresses of landing and deceleration caused the remaining components to fail.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the sudden fracture of the left main landing gear mechanical fasteners due to the force of the impact from the wildlife strike during the previous maneuver in Villanueva.
- The Villanueva aerodrome lacked adequate perimeter fencing and a formal wildlife control program, which allowed the animal to enter the runway area.
- The flight training center failed to perform adequate runway analysis or risk management in accordance with RAC 141 regulations regarding the characteristics of the aerodromes used for instruction.