What happened
On May 12, 2017, a Tecnam P200 and-JF operated by Adriana Aviation was conducting a flight training session in accordance with PPL(A) instructional procedures. The flight included maneuvers within the Starogród zone. While performing a left turn to align with runway 08 at the Wtorów aerodrome (EPWT), the pilot and student entered the final approach.
During the transition to the flare phase, the pilot rapidly and aggressively reduced engine power while simultaneously pulling the control column back and to the left. This maneuver was executed with such force that the aircraft entered an unrecoverable sink. Despite the instructor's immediate attempt to correct the aircraft's attitude by increasing power to maximum, the aircraft struck the ground with a heavy impact, primarily on the nose gear. The landing was described as a hard touchdown without any bounce.
Following the impact, the crew initially believed no damage had occurred and taxied the aircraft toward the hangar. Upon exiting the cockpit, they discovered significant structural damage to the airframe.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical damage sustained by the aircraft and the flight controls. The inspection revealed several structural failures, including a buckled engine mount rod and angular displacement of the nose landing gear. Additionally, the left nose gear control pushrod was buckled, the nose wheel fairing was destroyed, and the lower fuselage skin behind the firewall sustained damage. The investigation also examined the coordination between the student pilot and the instructor during the critical landing phase.