What happened
On March 31, 2018, a Tecnam P2008-JC, registration YR-LMP, was performing a series of touch-and-go maneuvers at Șirna airfield in Prahova county. The flight, operated by a private owner, included the pilot and one passenger. During the final landing approach on runway 25, the pilot initiated a recovery from a high approach. Due to the sun's position in the left-front quadrant, the pilot misjudged the aircraft's altitude.
The aircraft completed its recovery at an altitude of only approximately 2.5 to 3 meters above the ground. As the speed decreased to 41.6 knots—below the aircraft's stall speed of 44 knots—the aircraft reached a critical angle of attack and made hard contact with the grassy runway. The main landing gear struck first, followed by the nose gear. Because the runway surface was soft, the nose gear sank approximately 20 cm into the ground, causing it to collapse. The aircraft slid for about 30 meters, resulting in damage to the engine cowling, fuselage underside, wheel fairing, and a broken propeller blade. There were no injuries to the occupants.
The investigation
The investigation analyzed flight data recorded by the onboard Garmin equipment, which tracked the descent from 680 feet to the point of impact. Investigators examined the aircraft's configuration, noting that flaps were fully extended and the engine was at minimum operating power during the approach. The commission also calculated the solar azimuth to determine how sunlight might have affected the pilot's visual perception of height. Additionally, the investigation reviewed the runway conditions and the physical damage to the landing gear and propeller.