On May 28, 1990, a Piper PA-44-180 (registration N2171N) was involved in an aviation accident near Bunnell, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's improper flare technique during the landing phase, which resulted in excessive sink rate and a hard landing that caused structural failure of the right main landing gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A flight training aircraft experienced a hard landing resulting in the separation of the right main landing gear after the student pilot failed to manage descent speed properly.
What happened
During a local flight training exercise, the flight instructor initiated a power reduction on the left engine shortly after liftoff. The student pilot, operating the controls, simultaneously retarded the throttle on the right engine and pitched the nose down to establish a descent profile toward the runway for landing.
As the aircraft descended, it accumulated excessive airspeed that was not adequately managed prior to the flare. When the student attempted to flare for touchdown, the technique was improper, leading to a hard impact with the runway surface. The force of the landing caused the right main landing gear to separate from the aircraft structure.
Probable cause
The student pilot's improper flare technique during the landing phase, which resulted in excessive sink rate and a hard landing that caused structural failure of the right main landing gear.