Incident Overview
On 18 August 2019, a Tecnam P-2008-JC aircraft with registration SP-FIS was involved in an incident during landing at Łódź Lublinek airport (EPLL). The pilot, holding a Private Pilot License (PPL) with a total flight time of 151 hours, was conducting a solo flight as part of hour-building.
Sequence of Events
While approaching for landing, the pilot encountered turbulent conditions and gusty winds (reported as 200/12G17 at the time of landing clearance). To cope with the conditions, the pilot decided to land with flaps set to the takeoff (T/O) position and maintained an increased approach speed. During the flare, a gust caused the aircraft to balloon. The pilot reacted by pushing the control stick forward. The aircraft then touched down hard on the main landing gear and bounced. Again, the pilot pushed the stick forward, leading to a second hard impact on all three wheels, followed by another bounce. The subsequent touchdown occurred with the nose down, resulting in a dynamic impact on the nose gear, which fractured. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway with a broken nose gear leg. The damage included the propeller, engine cowling, and fuselage. The pilot sustained no injuries.
Cause and Contributing Factors
The investigation determined that the cause of the incident was improper correction of landing errors and the lack of a decision to abort the landing and execute a go-around. Contributing factors were gusty winds with variable direction and a significant crosswind component, as well as an excessive approach speed that prolonged the flare phase.
Recommendations
Based on the investigation, the following preventive recommendations were proposed:
- The pilot should complete several dual flights with an instructor to practice similar scenarios and develop proper habits for executing a go-around from low altitude.
- Prior to being authorized for solo flight, the pilot should undergo an oral examination on the operator's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and a verification of proper SOP application during a dual flight.
- The incident should be discussed at a standardization meeting, emphasizing the importance of the go-around maneuver as the correct and often only decision when conditions for a safe landing are not met or when control is compromised.