What happened
On April 28, 2018, at 07:00 UTC, a student pilot conducted a cross-country flight at an altitude of 1,500 feet, departing from Dęblin airport. Following the completion of the cross-country portion of the flight, the pilot initiated an approach for landing on runway 12. During the flare phase, the pilot reduced engine RPM to minimum settings to facilitate the touchdown.
As the aircraft was decelerating on the runway at a speed of approximately 40 knots, the engine ceased operation and the propeller stopped rotating. The aircraft subsequently taxied into the taxiway. The pilot was able to restart the engine and taxi the aircraft back to the parking stand.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the operator's commission, focused on the mechanical state of the engine following the incident. An inspection of the engine was performed to determine why the power loss occurred during the landing roll.
Findings
The investigation established that the engine failure was caused by a fracture of the spring used to secure the position of the idle throttle adjustment screw. This mechanical failure allowed the throttle control lever to shift below the minimum idle setting, resulting in a sudden drop in engine RPM and the subsequent engine flameout.