What happened
On 7 October 2017, a Piper PA-28-181 (registration PK-ARH) operated by the Indonesia Civil Aviation Institute was performing a solo short cross-country training mission. The flight originated from Japura Airport (Winding 28) and proceeded toward points BUKTI and JATAM before returning to the airfield.
During the approach for runway 10, the pilot initially experienced an aircraft overturn while transitioning from the downwind leg to the base leg. Following the initial approach, the pilot attempted a landing, but after touchdown and application of the brakes, the aircraft veered left and then subsequently to the right, leading to a go-around.
On a second landing attempt, the pilot applied the right brake more heavily to prevent a veer, which instead caused the aircraft to exit the right side of the runway. A third attempt also resulted in a right-side excursion and felt vibrations. During this third attempt, the pilot also experienced difficulty with the aircraft becoming airborne after pulling the control column. After a fourth attempt, the pilot successfully landed and taxied back to the apron.
While the aircraft sustained no structural damage, one runway light was broken during the incident. No injuries were reported.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of landings and the pilot's use of braking techniques. Investigators examined tire marks on runway 10, which showed the aircraft exiting the pavement approximately 850 meters from the runway start. The pilot, a 23-year-old student with 48 total hours on this aircraft type, was found to have a valid student pilot license and medical certificate.
Findings
- The pilot's attempts to maintain directional control through uneven or heavy braking contributed to the aircraft veering off the runway.
- The pilot's reaction to the first excursion—applying deeper pressure to the right brake—directly caused the second excursion.
- The pilot experienced difficulty with pitch control and airspeed management during the third landing attempt.