Accident Overview
On 18 December 2019, a training flight involving an AT-3 R100 aircraft (registration SP-RWA) ended with substantial damage during landing at Grądy airstrip (EPGY). The aircraft was operated by ATO Runway and was being flown by a 22-year-old male student pilot with 20 hours of total flight time. The flight was part of his PPL(A) training, conducted under the supervision of an instructor monitoring from the ground.
Sequence of Events
The student was performing solo circuits. During the fifth landing, the aircraft executed a 'kangaroo' (bounce) on the runway. The supervising instructor issued radio commands aimed at correcting the error. Despite the instructions, the aircraft bounced three times. On the third touchdown, the nose landing gear collapsed, causing the forward fuselage to strike the runway. The propeller broke and the lower engine cowling was damaged. The aircraft came to rest on its forward section.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot egressed unassisted and sustained no injuries. The aircraft sustained a broken nose gear leg, a shattered propeller, and damage to the lower engine cowling.
Cause Determination
The investigation attributed the accident to:
- Piloting error during landing.
- Unskillful correction of the landing error.