What happened
On July 21, 2013, a Piper PA-28-140, registration EC-CCM, operated by Club de Vuelo TAS, was conducting a training flight at Cuatro Vientos Airport in Madrid. The flight was intended for pilot familiarization, consisting of a series of takeoffs and landings.
After completing four successful circuits, air traffic control requested the crew to adjust for a departing aircraft. To accommodate this, the crew extended their downwind leg, resulting in an unusually long final approach. As the aircraft approached the runway, it made contact with the ground approximately 70 meters before the runway threshold.
Upon entering the paved area at the end of the runway, the nose gear struck a metal box and the left wing struck an approach light beacon. The force of the impact caused the nose gear to detach from the aircraft. The Piper PA-28-140 then slid along the runway, supported by its nose, before coming to a stop 210 meters past the threshold. The two occupants of the aircraft were uninjured and evacuated the aircraft on their own.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation examined the flight sequence, the aircraft's maintenance history, and the crew's actions. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy, all documentation was valid, and meteorological conditions were favorable for VFR flight.
Investigators analyzed the flight path and the crew's statements. The instructor noted that while the approach appeared stable at 75 knots with one notch of flaps, the aircraft suddenly exhibited behavior consistent with an impending stall. The investigation focused on the pilot's attempt to reach the runway threshold after the extended approach leg.