What happened
On May 5, 2018, a training flight was conducted at Wrocław Szymanów Airport (EPWS). The crew, consisting of a student pilot holding a PPL(A) license and an instructor, departed in a Rallye 235C for the purpose of type conversion training. The initial phase of the flight, including takeoffs and circuit patterns, proceeded normally, with the student completing seven successful landings.
During the eighth landing attempt, the student pilot applied the brakes too abruptly during the landing roll. This sudden deceleration caused the aircraft's tail to rise excessively, leading to a nose-down pitch. Despite the instructor's attempt to correct the pitch by pulling back fully on the elevator, the propeller made contact with the runway surface. The impact caused the engine to shut down, after which the aircraft returned to its tricycle landing configuration. A subsequent inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to a propeller blade.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events during the landing roll and the crew's control inputs. The inquiry focused on the application of braking forces and the effectiveness of the instructor's corrective actions during the excursion.