What happened
On June 20, 2004, at approximately 13:10 UTC, a Cessna F150L, registration CS-AHI, was conducting a local training flight at the Santa Cruz Aerodrome. The flight was being conducted by a pilot seeking to revalidate a flight license that had expired. The flight began with an instructor on board performing various maneuvers, including stalls and engine failure simulations, to familiarize the pilot with the aircraft after an 11-year hiatus from flying.
After 75 minutes of flight time, the instructor determined the pilot was capable of continuing solo and departed the aircraft, instructing the pilot to complete two more circuits. During the second solo circuit, the pilot attempted a landing but failed to maintain control. The aircraft touched the runway and bounced back into the air. Due to a lack of timely corrective action, the aircraft pitched nose-down and struck the runway with the nose gear. The impact caused the nose gear to collapse, and the propeller, engine cowling, and the right wingtip subsequently struck the ground. The aircraft slid approximately 2/20 meters along the runway. The pilot was uninjured and able to exit the aircraft independently.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance records, the pilot's experience, and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation found that the aircraft had undergone a recent inspection and was airworthy. Meteorological data confirmed clear skies and good visibility, though moderate winds of 10 knots with 15-knot gusts were present.
The investigation also reviewed the training context, noting that the pilot had significant experience in helicopters but very little recent experience in fixed-wing aircraft. The investigators also evaluated the instructor's decision to allow the pilot to fly solo so soon after the initial training session.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was inadequate piloting technique used to correct a deficient landing.
- A contributing factor was the premature decision by the instructor to allow the pilot to fly solo, despite the pilot's lack of recent fixed-wing experience and the need for a more extensive supervised training period.
- The pilot failed to react effectively to a bounced landing, leading to the nose-down attitude and subsequent impact.
- The impact of the nose gear strike caused the structural failure of the nose gear and damage to the propeller, engine cowling, and right wingtip.