What happened
On August 8, 2019, a pilot operating a Viper SD-4 RTC departed from Leszno (EPLS) for a flight to Myślibórz – Giże (EPMZ). During the approach to runway 33, the pilot noted recent rainfall in the area and performed a low pass to assess the runway condition and wind. Although the windsock indicated calm conditions, the pilot proceeded with the landing.
Upon touchdown, the pilot encountered a sudden gust or wind shear, which caused the aircraft to bounce off the runway surface. Following the initial bounce, the aircraft struck the runway again on the main landing gear, leaving deep tracks in the damp ground. The aircraft then impacted the runway on its nose gear, causing the strut to break and the propeller to strike the ground. The aircraft eventually came to a halt after a short rollout and a 45-degree deviation from the original landing direction.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the operator, examined the pilot's maneuvers and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. The investigation established that the pilot's reaction to the wind gust and the subsequent bounce was improper. The pilot's total flight time was 115 hours, with approximately 10 hours specifically on the Viper SD-4 RTC.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was pilot error in landing technique, specifically landing with an excessive sink rate which led to a double bounce (known as "kangaroos") on the runway.
- A secondary error occurred when the pilot failed to properly correct the aircraft's attitude following the bounce, leading to the nose gear impact.
- The pilot's limited experience on this specific aircraft type was a contributing factor to the occurrence.