What happened
On October 18, 2018, a student pilot was conducting a solo training flight in a Tecnam Sierra P2002JF at Masłów Airport (EPKA). The flight was part of a proficiency program intended to prepare the pilot for an upcoming PPL(A) examination. The flight route included a touch-and-go landing at Mielec Airport (EPML) before returning to Masłów.
During the return to EPKA, the pilot approached runway 29L with flaps set to 40 degrees at approximately 50 knots. The aircraft touched down in the middle of the runway, roughly 500 meters from the end of the paved surface. While the initial braking phase appeared normal, the aircraft's deceleration slowed significantly during the final stage of the rollout. Despite intense braking visible on the runway, the aircraft failed to stop and struck an embankment at the end of the runway.
The pilot sustained no injuries and was able to exit the cockpit independently. The impact caused significant damage to the aircraft, including a broken propeller blade, damaged nose cone, damaged engine mount, and damage to the nose gear strut and right wing leading edge.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the operator's commission, examined the touchdown point and the braking marks left on the runway. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience, noting the student had approximately 41 total flight hours. Authorities also reviewed the actions of the supervising instructor, who was monitoring the flight from the ground.
Findings
- The pilot likely increased engine power during the landing roll, which contributed to the extended ground roll.
- The student pilot could not definitively confirm the position of the throttle lever or the engine RPM during the rollout.
- The student's lack of experience and potential stress from a long touchdown may have prevented them from noticing the high engine power or reacting to the insufficient deceleration.
- The supervising instructor failed to instruct the pilot to perform a go-around after the long touchdown in the middle of the runway.
- The pilot failed to reduce the engine to idle power during the final approach, resulting in a landing with excessive energy.