What happened
On June 7, 2014, a Piper PA-28R-200, registration D-EEFJ, was landing on runway 11 at Karlovy Vary Airport (LKKV) under VFR conditions. The flight originated from Babenhausen, Germany. The landing itself was described by the pilot and air traffic control as normal, with the aircraft touching down on centerline shortly after the threshold.
During the landing roll, approximately 200 meters after touchdown, the aircraft began to veer to the right. The pilot attempted to correct the deviation using left rudder, but was unable to maintain the runway centerline. The aircraft exited the right side of the runway and struck a side runway light, breaking its support. The impact caused the nose gear to collapse and the aircraft to enter a rotation on the grass area. The aircraft eventually came to a stop approximately 16 meters right of the runway, oriented 18 and a half degrees opposite to its original direction of travel. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation examined the aircraft, the runway conditions, and the flight tracks. Investigators analyzed security camera footage, which captured the touchdown and the subsequent excursion. Physical examination of the aircraft revealed significant damage to the nose gear, the right main landing gear, the propeller, the engine cowling, and the right wing. The investigation also reviewed tire marks on the runway, which indicated that the aircraft began to skid toward the right edge of the pavement.
Findings
- The aircraft was in a valid state of airworthiness, and no mechanical failures were identified prior to the excursion.
- The pilot was fully qualified with sufficient recent experience on the type.
- The pilot lost directional control during the landing roll, though the specific reason for the initial deviation could not be determined due to the damage sustained during the impact.
- The impact with the runway light and the subsequent movement on the grass increased lateral forces, leading to the collapse of the landing gear and propeller contact with the ground.