What happened
On June 22, 2015, a Piper PA46-500TP Malibu Meridian, registration F-HGIE, was preparing for a general aviation flight from Montpellier Candillargues to Lyon Bron. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and three passengers.
During the takeoff roll on runway 14, the pilot observed birds taking flight in the distance but elected to continue the takeoff. As the aircraft reached a speed of 75 kt, it struck birds on the runway. In response, the pilot initiated an aborted takeoff and engaged the reverse thrust. The aircraft subsequently exited the runway longitudinally at approximately 20 kt. About 30 meters from the runway end, the aircraft slid into a marshy area, resulting in the failure of the left main landing gear. The aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's experience, the airfield conditions, and the calculations used to determine the safety of the takeoff. The pilot, holding a CPL(A) with approximately 750 total flight hours, had 118 hours on this specific type. At the time of the incident, weather conditions were CAVOK with calm winds and a temperature of 19 °C.
Investigators noted that while another pilot had previously reported bird activity on the shared frequency, the airfield lacked specific bird hazard instructions or dispersal devices. The investigation also focused on the pilot's calculation of the required acceleration-stop distance. Lacking a specific stop-distance figure in the flight manual, the pilot had estimated the distance by adding the takeoff roll distance to the landing roll distance, totaling 850 meters. This estimate was very close to the 900 meters of available paved runway.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was a bird strike during the takeoff roll.
- The margin between the pilot's calculated stop distance and the available runway length was dangerously narrow.
- The method used to estimate the acceleration-stop distance was unreliable, as it failed to account for operational variables such as pilot reaction time and braking intensity.
- The calculation did not account for the fact that using reverse thrust during an aborted takeoff reduces the required stopping distance compared to a standard landing roll.