Piper PA-38 Tomahawk Accident at Puerta de Ávalos Aerodrome (LV-OIB)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On September 22, 2022, at 15:50 UTC, a Piper PA-38 Tomahawk with registration LV-OIB, owned by Aeroclub Jujuy, experienced an accident at Puerta de Ávalos Aerodrome in San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina. The aircraft was conducting a post-inspection test flight following a 100-hour inspection at the aerodrome's aeronautical workshop. The flight, which lasted approximately 40 minutes, included standard verification maneuvers such as a touch-and-go and a full-stop landing on runway 10. ## Sequence of Events and Damage During the final landing and deceleration phase, the pilot reported feeling vibrations in the rudder pedals. In an attempt to reduce the load on the nose landing gear, the pilot applied aft control input. The vibrations persisted, followed by a noise from the front of the aircraft and the subsequent collapse of the nose gear against the runway. This impact caused the propeller to strike the ground, resulting in a sudden engine stop. The detached nose wheel struck and damaged the lower fuselage, including the lower engine cowling and the exhaust pipe. The aircraft sustained significant damage to the propeller, nose gear, lower engine cowling, exhaust pipe, and fuselage. ## Investigation and Contributing Factors The investigation, conducted by Argentina's Junta de Seguridad en el Transporte (JST), examined the runway and ruled out any contribution from potholes or uneven surfaces. The runway was a 1,200-meter by 30-meter dirt strip oriented 10/28. The pilot, an instructor with approximately 1,300 hours of experience in this aircraft type, was the sole occupant. Meteorological conditions at the time were favorable, with winds from 090° at 5 knots. The accident occurred during daylight hours. No fatalities or injuries were reported among the crew or passengers.