What happened
On June 22, 2007, at 12:26 UTC, a Socata TB 20, registration CS-DEE, was conducting a training flight at the Évora Municipal Aerodrome (LPEV). The flight was part of a circuit training session involving takeoffs and landings. During the landing phase, the aircraft experienced a hard landing that caused the aircraft to bounce. Following this impact, the aircraft returned into the air at a low airspeed. The pilot was unable to maintain effective control of the flight path, causing the nose of the aircraft to dip forward until the propeller blades struck the runway surface. The incident resulted in no injuries, though the aircraft sustained minor damage, specifically to the propeller tips.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation focused on the sequence of events following the initial touchdown. Investigators examined the meteorological conditions at the time of the occurrence and found that the weather was within normal operating parameters for this aircraft type and did not contribute to the accident. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's credentials and flight experience, noting that the pilot was an ATPL(A) student. The analysis centered on the pilot's ability to manage the aircraft's trajectory following the bounce.
Findings
- The primary cause of the propeller strike was the insufficient correction of the flight path following a hard landing and subsequent bounce.
- The pilot's limited flight experience prevented the effective control of the aircraft's trajectory to avoid the runway contact.
- The aircraft's airspeed was too low to maintain sufficient control authority after the bounce occurred.