What happened
On October 5, 2024, at approximately 13:45 UTC, a Piper PA-34, registration LV-MIF, was conducting a general aviation training flight at the Teniente Héctor Ricardo Volponi Provincial Aerodrome in Tres Arroyos, Buenos Aires. While taxiing toward runway 14, the aircraft's right main landing gear encountered a depression or hole in the airfield surface. The impact caused the landing gear to collapse, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft.
No injuries were reported among the occupants, and the single person on board was unhurt during the incident. The aircraft was operating under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) at the time of the occurrence.
The investigation
The preliminary investigation focused on the taxi path and the condition of the airfield surface at the Tres Arroyos aerodrome. Investigators examined the sequence of events leading to the structural failure of the landing gear and assessed the impact of the terrain features on the aircraft's movement during the taxi phase.