What happened
On April 24, 2004, a PIPER PA-2ER «Cherokee», registration EC-FRQ, was performing a solo instructional flight at Cuatro Vientos Airport in Madrid. During the landing roll on runway 10, the pilot attempted to exit the runway via a rapid exit taxiway. During this maneuver, the aircraft veered toward the right side of the runway, causing the right wingtip to strike a runway distance remaining sign located within the runway strip.
Following the impact, the aircraft continued to taxi toward the apron. There were no injuries to the pilot. The aircraft sustained minor damage specifically to the wingtip, while the runway sign was destroyed upon impact.
The investigation
Investigators examined the runway surface and the wreckage of the aircraft and the sign. Tire marks left on the runway indicated heavy braking approximately 8 meters before the aircraft left the paved surface, confirming a deviation to the right of the centerline. The inspection of the PIPER PA-28 «Cherokee» revealed a direct impact on the right wingtip and scratches on the underside of the wing.
Regarding the runway sign, the investigation noted that the sign's height exceeded that of the aircraft's wing. The impact caused the PVC and fiberglass panels of the sign to detach, though the frangible supports anchoring the sign to the ground remained intact. The sign, which displayed remaining runway distance in thousands of feet, was a luminous unit installed for over three years.
Findings
- The pilot intended to use the rapid exit taxiway, which was located only a few meters ahead of the point of deviation.
- Heavy braking at a high speed caused the pilot to lose directional control of the aircraft.
- The upper portion of the runway sign was more fragile than the frangible mounting hardware, leading to the destruction of the sign's face during the collision.