Accident Overview
On June 22, 2015, at approximately 08:00 local time, a privately operated Piper PA46-500TP Malibu Meridian (registration F-HGIE) was preparing for a departure from Montpellier Candillargues Aerodrome (34) to Lyon Bron Aerodrome (69). The pilot, accompanied by three passengers, aligned the aircraft on Runway 14. After setting takeoff power and releasing the brakes, the aircraft began its ground roll.
Events During Takeoff
Approximately 200 meters into the roll, the pilot observed birds taking off in the distance and decided to continue the takeoff. As the aircraft reached 75 knots, it collided with birds present on the runway. The pilot immediately aborted the takeoff and applied reverse thrust. Despite the action, the aircraft overran the runway longitudinally at about 20 knots. Thirty meters beyond the runway end, the aircraft skidded and came to a stop in a marshy area, causing the left main landing gear to break.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a Commercial Pilot License (CPL(A)) and had accumulated approximately 750 total flight hours, including 118 hours on the accident aircraft type and 68 hours in the preceding three months, all on type.
Meteorological Conditions
According to the pilot's estimate, weather at the accident site was calm wind, CAVOK conditions, and a temperature of 19°C.
Aerodrome Information
Montpellier Candillargues Aerodrome operates under self-information. There were no specific procedures regarding bird hazards, and the aerodrome was not equipped with bird-scaring devices. The available paved runway 14 for takeoff and accelerate-stop was 900 meters.
Observations and Calculations
Another pilot had previously reported the presence of birds on the aerodrome frequency, which was used by the accident pilot.
The aircraft's mass and center of gravity at the time of the event were within the manufacturer's limits. The pilot had selected a rotation speed of 85 knots.
According to the flight manual, under the prevailing weight, wind, and temperature conditions on a paved runway, the takeoff distance was 730 meters, the takeoff roll distance was 530 meters, and the landing roll distance was 320 meters. The pilot noted that the flight manual did not provide an accelerate-stop distance. Therefore, the pilot calculated the accelerate-stop distance by adding the takeoff roll distance (530 m) and the landing roll distance (320 m), resulting in 850 meters. Based on this calculation, the available runway length of 900 meters was deemed sufficient for both takeoff and accelerate-stop.