What happened
On February 14, 2019, a Cessna 172R aircraft, registration VT-TEH, operated by Sha-Shib Flying Academy, was involved in an accident during a solo circuit and landing exercise at Guna Airfield. The flight was commanded by a student pilot who had previously completed an instrument flying session earlier that day.
After departing runway 14, the aircraft completed a standard circuit pattern. During the final approach, the pilot reported encountering a sudden updraft that caused the aircraft to gain altitude. As the aircraft descended toward the threshold at approximately 100 feet AGL, the airspeed decreased, leading to a stall. The aircraft struck the runway, resulting in a bounced landing. The pilot attempted to correct the subsequent drift with left aileron input, but the aircraft struck the runway nose-first and dragged along the surface before coming to a stop at the edge of the runway.
The investigation
AAIB India investigators examined the wreckage and the flight sequence to determine the cause of the impact. The investigation confirmed that the student pilot had undergone a negative breath analyzer test prior to the flight and that the weather conditions were generally calm with good visibility.
Physical examination of the Cessna 172R revealed extensive damage, including a bent propeller, a cracked engine cowl, and a broken nose wheel assembly with a resulting hydraulic oil leak. The left main landing gear axle was found broken, and the left wing spar was bent, indicating the right wing had struck the runway during the incident. No injuries were reported for the student pilot, who exited the aircraft without assistance.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an improper flare during the landing phase, which induced an aerodynamic stall.
- The pilot's subsequent recovery techniques during the stall and the subsequent bounce were inadequate, leading to the hard landing and subsequent ground impact.
- An unexpected updraft contributed to the loss of airspeed and the subsequent sinking of the aircraft near the runway threshold.