What happened
On December 18, 2019, an AT-3 R100, registration SP-RWA, was engaged in solo flight training circuits at the Grądy (EPGY) airfield. The aircraft was being operated by ATO Runway as part of a student pilot's PPL(A) training program. The student, who had approximately 20 hours of total flight time, was performing a series of eight circuits under the supervision of an instructor monitoring from the ground.
During the fifth circuit, the aircraft experienced a bouncing effect during the landing phase. An instructor on the ground provided verbal commands to assist the student in correcting the flight path and stabilizing the aircraft. Despite these interventions, the aircraft bounced three times on the runway. The sequence culminated in a hard impact with the runway, which caused the failure of the nose landing gear. The aircraft then struck the ground with the forward fuselage, resulting in a broken propeller and damage to the lower engine cowling. The student pilot was able to exit the aircraft uninjured.
The investigation
The PKBWL examined the sequence of events surrounding the landing, the student's response to ground-based instructor commands, and the mechanical damage sustained by the aircraft. The investigation focused on the flight phase of landing and the pilot's handling of the aircraft during the bouncing sequence.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was pilot error during the landing phase.
- The student failed to effectively correct the aircraft's attitude following the initial bounce, despite receiving corrective instructions from the instructor on the ground.
- The aircraft sustained significant damage, including a broken nose landing gear, a broken propeller, and damage to the engine cowling.