What happened
On 16 October 2022, during solo training operations at EPKW aerodrome, an Evektor SportStar RTC (registration SP-RTC) was involved in a serious incident. Prior to the solo flight, an instructor and a student pilot conducted a preflight inspection and completed three circuit check flights. While the initial flights were successful, the third landing attempt resulted in an error. During the flare phase, the student pilot realized the aircraft was too high and attempted to correct the situation by rapidly pushing the control stick forward. This maneuver caused the aircraft to touch down on its nose wheel, leading to a collision between the propeller blades and the concrete runway. The aircraft subsequently bounced before coming to a rest. No injuries were reported.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of the landing maneuver and the student's reaction to the high flare. The commission examined the flight manual procedures and the preflight inspection conducted by the instructor and student. The investigation established that the instructor, observing from the ground, did not react in time to the student's error during the landing sequence.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a high flare phase combined with a rapid forward movement of the control stick, which resulted in a nose-wheel touchdown and subsequent propeller strike.
- The student pilot's limited flight experience contributed to the error.
- Improper landing planning led to the excessively high flare during the approach.
Safety action
Following the incident, the operator recommended that instructors within the organization pay closer attention to student errors during the landing phase. Specifically, instructors should provide targeted training on how to correct a high flare and how to properly react to a bounced landing.