What happened
On July 16, 2016, a pilot was conducting a series of three circuit landings at Warsaw-Babice (EPBC) airport in a Pipistrel Virus SW ultralight aircraft. The flight began at 14:25 LMT, and the first two landings were completed without incident. However, during the third landing attempt, immediately after touchdown, the pilot applied the aerodynamic brakes. This action caused the aircraft to lift off the ground again. Upon re-applying the brakes, the aircraft landed on its nose wheel, which was slightly turned. The impact caused the nose wheel to detach from the landing gear strut, bringing the aircraft to a halt on the runway at approximately 15:00 LMT.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's actions during the landing sequence and reviewed the pilot's credentials. The pilot held a valid PPL(A) license, along with night and SEP(L) ratings, and possessed a valid Class 2 medical certificate. At the time of the incident, the pilot had approximately 190 total flying hours, with only about 9 hours of experience specifically on the Pipistral Virus SW.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a landing technique error, specifically involving landing at an excessive speed and the improper application of aerodynamic brakes, which triggered the subsequent nose-first touchdown.
- A contributing factor was the pilot's limited experience on this specific aircraft type.