Incident Overview
On 25 February 2018, a pilot holding a Private Pilot License (PPL(A)) was conducting a training flight from EPDE to EPLB (Lublin) and back. After taking off from Lublin (from a tow?), the pilot noticed that the flaps, which had been set to 40° for landing, did not retract despite moving the flap lever to the retracted position. The pilot did not report the problem to the air traffic controller at Lublin and did not abort the flight. Instead, he continued the planned route to his home airport.
Resolution
Approximately at 14:00 LMT, the pilot reported the return from the route and entry into the airport area via point EPDEG. He also informed about the ongoing issue with the flaps being fully extended (40°). The director of the aero club, who was overseeing flights, instructed the pilot to check the flap lever position and the flap circuit breaker. After performing these checks, the pilot reported that the flaps had retracted. He subsequently landed without further incident at the airport in Dęblin.
Causes
The investigation identified the following causes of the incident:
- Failure to check the aircraft configuration for takeoff during takeoff from a tow.
- Lack of decision to abort the flight.
- Failure to check the flap circuit breaker position.
Contributing Factors
The following factors were considered to have contributed to the incident:
- Takeoff from a tow.
- Poor familiarity with the cockpit and emergency procedures.
Preventive Actions
The director of the Aero Club Orląt suspended the pilot from flying until he passed a re-examination on aircraft knowledge and emergency procedures. The incident was discussed with the instructor staff and with trainee pilots.
Safety Recommendations
The investigation committee recommended that the Aero Club Orląt discuss the incident with trainees, emphasizing proper actions in similar situations. It also recommended increasing checks on trainees' knowledge of the aircraft and emergency procedures. Instructors were advised to focus during practical emergency training on developing the ability to take correct and decisive actions in the cockpit.