What happened
On March 27, 2014, a Pierre Robin DR400/120, registration G-OYIO, was conducting a private VFR flight from Evora, Portugal, to Burgos Airport (LEBG) as part of a multi-aircraft European tour. During the approach to runway 22, the pilot contacted the Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) and established a right downwind pattern.
While executing the landing, the pilot mistakenly touched down on taxiway C instead of the active runway. This maneuver forced another aircraft, which was beginning to taxi from the opposite end of the same taxiway, to halt its movement to avoid a collision. There were no injuries and no damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation examined the airfield's visual aids and the pilot's perception during the approach. Investigators found that the airfield's pavement contained a mixture of current and obsolete markings. Specifically, black paint had been used to cover old runway closure markings (crosses) on the active runway, and light gray markings from the airport's previous configuration remained visible on taxiway C.
The pilot stated that this was their first time landing at Burgos. During the downwind leg, the pilot observed black markings along the runway and incorrectly assumed they indicated a closed runway. Consequently, the pilot identified an adjacent surface—which featured threshold markings and appeared to be approximately 1,300 meters long—as the active runway.
Findings
- The erroneous interpretation of non-luminous visual markings by the pilot was the primary cause of the incident.
- The confusing state of the airfield markings, which included overlapping old and new signals, acted as a contributing factor by potentially misleading pilots.
- Sunlight and specific lighting conditions at the time of the event enhanced the visibility of the outdated black and gray markings, further complicating the pilot's ability to distinguish between the runway and the taxiway.