Piper PA-18-150 Runway Incident at Murcia-San Javier (EC-AMK)

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 27 September 2002 at 14:10 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 with registration EC-AMK was involved in an incident at the Aeropuerto de Murcia - San Javier in the province of Murcia. The aircraft, manufactured in 1955 and equipped with a Lycoming O-320-A2B engine, had a maximum weight category of 2,250 kg or less. The pilot in command was a 22-year-old commercial pilot with 405 total flight hours. ## Flight Operations and Sequence of Events The aircraft departed from Valencia Airport to conduct a commercial general aviation operation involving banner towing, with its final destination being Murcia-San Javier. After completing the advertising work, the pilot proceeded to the destination airport and initiated an approach to runway 23. The aircraft overflew the airfield along a path between the runway and the parallel taxiway, releasing the banner near the terminal. The pilot then turned left to align with the remaining runway segment for landing. While over the runway, the pilot lost control, and the aircraft impacted the surface with some force on its right wheel before rolling to a stop before the runway end. ## Damage, Injuries, and Environmental Conditions The incident resulted in minor damage to the aircraft's right main landing gear and propeller. The pilot was uninjured, and there were no other casualties or reported damage. Meteorological reports from 14:00 and 15:00 local time indicated winds from 140° at 6 knots and 180° at 8 knots, respectively, with visibility of 7,000 meters and 10 km or more, and few clouds at 3,000 feet. The analysis suggested the wind was likely acting almost perpendicularly from the aircraft's left during the operation. ## Analysis and Conclusions The distance from the banner release point to the end of runway 23 was approximately 700 to 800 meters, requiring the pilot to turn left, align with the runway, and land within a limited margin for error, complicated by crosswind conditions. The investigation concluded that the pilot likely experienced control difficulties that prevented stabilization but continued the landing instead of aborting, resulting in the aircraft reaching the ground out of control. The probable cause was identified as the execution of a landing stabilization maneuver with very tight safety margins, considering the light crosswind and available runway length.