Event Overview
On 21 October 2021, at approximately 18:10 local time, an Ikarus C 42B microlight aircraft, registration YR-5209, experienced a front landing gear failure while performing a simulated engine-off landing at Ghimbav airfield, Brașov County. The aircraft, owned and operated by Aeroclubul României, was conducting a training flight with an instructor and a student pilot on board. Both occupants were uninjured.
Sequence of Events
The flight had planned several traffic patterns at Ghimbav airfield. After a pre-flight briefing, the crew completed four touch-and-go landings. On the fifth circuit, the instructor reduced the engine to idle while on the downwind leg, before turn 3, to simulate a loss of engine power. The student pilot was tasked with performing a landing without engine power. The instructor reported that the student set a proper glide slope and speed, configured the aircraft with flaps, and prepared for landing.
However, during the flare, the student misjudged the height and executed a hard, flat touchdown. After rolling approximately one meter, the front landing gear fork failed, causing the nose to collapse. The aircraft continued to slide on its main gear and the underside of the engine cowl for about 16 meters, coming to rest 86 meters from the threshold of runway 21. The propeller blades were broken off during the event.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft, a Comco Ikarus GmbH Ikarus C 42B (serial number 0810-7016, manufactured in 2008), was a high-wing, side-by-side two-seater with a tricycle landing gear. It had a valid flight permit. The instructor pilot, aged 24, held a valid Ultralight Motorized Aircraft Pilot License and a valid medical certificate, with a total flight experience of 402 hours (380 hours on type). The student pilot, who was undergoing flight training, had logged 24 hours and held valid medical and radio certificates.
Meteorological and Airfield Conditions
Weather conditions were favorable and were not considered a factor in the incident. Ghimbav airfield features a grass runway oriented 30°/210°, 1050 meters long and 30 meters wide, at an elevation of 538.9 meters.
Analysis
According to the instructor's statement, the event resulted from "hard landings that this aircraft carried, combined with stick pushing and a slight inattention on my part." The investigation noted that the student pilot flew with an engine-idle speed of approximately 86 km/h, which, being below the best glide speed (90–100 km/h), resulted in a higher vertical descent rate. The flare was initiated at an estimated height of 3–5 meters, after which the student pushed the control stick forward, leading to a hard three-point contact. The normal landing technique calls for a nose-high attitude to touch down on the main gear first.
The investigation commission considered that the student's misjudgment and the instructor's lack of timely intervention were contributing circumstances. Additionally, the decision to simulate an engine failure on downwind at an altitude below 300 meters and then continue a standard traffic pattern was deemed to potentially mislead the student about appropriate actions in a real emergency.
Conclusions
The aircraft was airworthy, the pilots were properly licensed, and weather was not a factor. The incident occurred during a training exercise simulating engine failure. The front landing gear failed upon hard touchdown.