Event Description
On 28 November 2024 at 10:03 UTC, a Piper PA-46-500-TP, registration F-HYPF, was performing a tourist flight from La Rochelle – Île de Ré, France, to Treviso Airport (LIPH), Italy. During an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 07, the aircraft made a hard, asymmetric contact with the runway. The impact caused the right main landing gear leg to detach.
The aircraft then slid on the runway with the right wing, nose gear, and left main gear making contact. It veered right and exited the runway approximately 5 meters from the edge, coming to a stop about 490 meters from the initial touchdown point, with the nose oriented 150°. The pilot notified the tower and requested emergency services. The pilot and four passengers, all uninjured, evacuated the aircraft unassisted.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated the flight was carefully planned and that he was aware of the actual and forecast weather conditions at Treviso since departure. He was confident of landing based on the forecast improvement and the planned flight time. The alternate airport was Trento. The flight proceeded as planned until nearly completing the ILS approach, with extensive use of the autopilot. Approaching the minimums, he disconnected the autopilot and began looking for visual references.
The pilot visually acquired the runway at about 250 feet altitude: initially seeing the left edge lights, then the entire runway. The right-seat passenger confirmed the aircraft was over the runway but slightly left of the centerline. The pilot estimated horizontal visibility at about 650 meters, consistent with reported conditions.
He reported that the time needed to acquire visual references delayed the flare initiation, resulting in a high descent rate just before touchdown. Additionally, the aircraft was in a slight right bank to correct the left-of-centerline alignment. This led to a heavy, asymmetric landing that broke the right main landing gear.
The pilot noted that he routinely flew IFR across multiple European airports but had conducted few actual ILS approaches in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
Findings
Maintenance documentation showed the aircraft was airworthy and performing normally before the accident. The weather at 09:50 UTC from the Treviso METAR reported: wind variable at 2 knots, visibility 200 meters, runway visual range for runway 07 of 650 meters and increasing, fog, vertical visibility 100 feet, temperature 8°C, QNH 1023 hPa.
Runway marks and debris confirmed the right main gear leg separated at first contact. Damage included the right wing lower surface, fuselage underside, and structural fractures and deformations of the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer.
The pilot's statement indicates the delayed flare and corrective bank as the direct actions leading to the hard landing.