Loss of Control During Landing Leads to Ultralight Accident at Lezírias Aerodrome

Casualties unknown • Benavente, PT

A Tecnam P92 ECHO ultralight aircraft veered off the runway and struck an object during landing, resulting in substantial damage but no injuries.

What happened

On May 26, 2006, at approximately 16:50 UTC, a Tecnam P9LE ECHO, registration CS-UJX, departed from Santa Cruz (Torres Vedras) for a recreational flight to the Lezírias aerodrome (Porto Alto). The flight, which included the pilot and one passenger, proceeded without incident until the landing phase.

At 17:15 UTC, the aircraft touched down on runway 28. The pilot performed a landing without the use of flaps, maintaining the nose elevated as much as possible to protect the propeller from debris kicked up by the compacted gravel surface. As the aircraft decelerated during the landing roll, the pilot noted a tendency for the aircraft to drift to the right. Upon the nose wheel making contact with the ground, this tendency intensified, causing the aircraft to yaw suddenly to the right. The aircraft struck a metal box used for surveying equipment and came to rest in a ditch alongside the runway. Both occupants were uninjured.

The investigation

The GPIAAF investigation examined the meteorological conditions, the aircraft's flight profile, and the aerodynamic forces acting on the vertical stabilizer during the landing roll. At the time of the accident, the wind was blowing from 030° at 10 knots, which resulted in a tailwind component of approximately 3 knots and a crosswind component of 9 knots.

Investigators analyzed the aerodynamic forces on the vertical stabilizer. As the aircraft's airspeed decreases, the aerodynamic forces (a and a') acting on the tail diminish. With a tailwind from the right, the symmetry of these forces is disrupted, creating a tendency for the aircraft to yaw to the right. The investigation established that the pilot did not apply sufficient opposite rudder to counteract this developing drift.

Findings

  • The landing was performed without flaps at a speed of 70 km/h.
  • The aircraft was subject to a right-hand tailwind component during the landing roll.
  • The pilot maintained a high nose attitude to protect the propeller from gravel.
  • The pilot failed to apply sufficient corrective rudder to counteract the rightward yaw tendency as the aircraft decelerated.
  • The sudden yaw following nose-wheel touchdown caused the aircraft to strike an object and exit the runway.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by a loss of directional control during the landing roll due to deficient piloting technique.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2006-05-26 Tecnam P92 ECHO accident near Benavente, PT?

A Tecnam P92 ECHO ultralight aircraft veered off the runway and struck an object during landing, resulting in substantial damage but no injuries.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2006-05-26 involved a Tecnam P92 ECHO, registration CS-UJX, at Benavente, PT.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by a loss of directional control during the landing roll due to deficient piloting technique.

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