Incident Overview
On 6 October 2020, a Tecnam T2002 JR (registration OE-CFA) was involved in a serious incident during landing at Łososina Dolna airfield (EPNL). The aircraft was being used for a training flight under visual meteorological conditions. The pilot, a 34-year-old holder of a PPL(A) license with 117 hours and 56 minutes of total flight time, was accompanied by one passenger.
Sequence of Events
The flight originated from Konstancin-Jeziorna with an intended route via Zakopane to EPNL for refueling. Upon arrival, the pilot joined the traffic pattern at the third leg. According to his statement, after the third turn he extended the flaps to the takeoff position. Following the fourth turn, he initiated an approach to runway 22, selecting the electric fuel pump and setting low propeller pitch. On final approach, he reported selecting full flaps and moving the landing gear lever to the "down" position; he stated that the gear indication lights and audible warning were normal.
The approach was conducted with the sun ahead, which the pilot said may have hindered observation of cockpit instruments. The landing profile was abnormal: the aircraft descended with a sharp angle until flare, then floated at very low altitude over about three-quarters of the runway length. During this extended flare, the propeller blades contacted the ground and were damaged. The aircraft then touched down with the landing gear retracted and slid along the grass, veering right before coming to a stop.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft sustained serious damage: propeller blades were fractured, wing flaps were bent, the tail cone was deformed, and the underside of the fuselage was scratched. Both the pilot and passenger exited the aircraft unaided and reported no injuries. No fire occurred.
Investigation Findings
Analysis of CCTV footage and physical evidence revealed that the landing gear was not extended at touchdown, contrary to the pilot's recollection. The flap position was found to be in the takeoff setting, not full flaps as declared. The investigation concluded that the landing was performed with the gear retracted and flaps in takeoff position, resulting in the propeller strike and subsequent damage. The cause of the incident was not explicitly stated in the report.