Event Description
On 6 April 2006, at 09:37 UTC, a Cessna 421-B, registration EC-IPO, was conducting a local dual instruction flight at Girona Airport (LEGE). The aircraft had taken off at 08:25 UTC with two occupants: an instructor and a student pilot who was flying. During the first landing run on runway 02, the aircraft initially proceeded normally but gradually deviated to the left, departed the runway, and came to rest on the grass. The left wing and two wheels supported the aircraft after it stopped. No fire or fuel leaks occurred.
Injuries and Damage
Neither occupant was injured; both exited the aircraft unaided. The aircraft sustained minor damage: the left main landing gear leg was almost fully retracted into the wheel well, with broken actuating mechanism pieces. The fuselage bottom and left wing were scratched, the left flap and wingtip were scraped, and the left propeller blades were bent and worn from contacting the runway. The runway also sustained minor damage from scratches and propeller marks.
Personnel Information
The crew comprised a 33-year-old instructor (CPL(A) with multi-engine and instructor ratings, 2,700 total flight hours, 56 on type) and a 38-year-old student pilot (CPL(A), 2,075 total hours, 140 on type). The student was the pilot flying throughout the operation.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 421-B (serial number 421-B0509, manufactured 1974) had a valid airworthiness certificate and had accumulated 7,033 hours and 40 minutes total time. Maintenance records showed all required inspections had been completed, including Cessna Supplemental Inspection Documents (SID) 32-10-03 and 32-30-05 regarding landing gear inspections. These were performed on 8 November 2004 at 6,933:37 hours; the aircraft had since flown 100:03 hours and 90 landings, staying within the inspection intervals.
Landing Gear System
The left main gear is actuated by an electric motor and linkage. In the down-and-locked position, a pivot bolt and side link assembly hold the gear. The side link uses an overcenter lock to resist loads. The actuating mechanism is not designed for large loads; it maintains the overcenter position.
Meteorological and Aerodrome Information
Weather at the time: 15 °C, 72% humidity, light breeze from east-northeast at 3 knots, visibility 10 km, scattered clouds. Runway 02 at Girona is 2,400 m long by 40 m wide, with centerline lights and PAPI.
Wreckage Marks
Investigation on the runway revealed left propeller blade marks starting 650 m from the threshold and continuing 300 m, gradually deviating left. A total of 162 blade marks, 30 cm long, with spacing increasing from 0.6 m to 2.10 m, were found. Additional scratches from the left wheel and torque scissor components were present. Tire marks from both main gears were noted, with hard braking marks from the right gear. The aircraft came to rest 32.7 m from centerline light no. 18 and 7.4 m from the runway edge.
Eyewitness Statements
Both pilots agreed in their accounts of the incident, but details were not further specified in the source.