Occurrence
On 17 January 2022, at 08:45 UTC, a Cessna 152 (registration CS-EBE) operated by OATC for a local VFR solo instruction flight experienced an incident during take-off from runway 35 at Cascais Airport (LPCS), Portugal. The flight had one student pilot on board; no passengers. The wind reported by ATC was 030/03kt.
Sequence of Events
The student pilot and instructor performed a pre-flight briefing. The student pilot reported completing all checks and procedures per the operator's manual. During the take-off run, after rotation at about 55 kt indicated speed, the student pilot felt the aircraft had difficulty gaining altitude and aborted the take-off by reducing engine power while trying to direct the aircraft toward the runway. The aircraft first touched down on grass left of runway 35, then became airborne again, followed by a hard landing with the nose wheel first on taxiway "J", where the nose gear support structure failed. The aircraft stopped a few meters ahead on the runway edge, north of that taxiway.
The aircraft was found with flaps retracted (0°) and trim tab selected for take-off position. The fire extinguisher had detached from its support, discharging powder without pilot intervention.
Consequences
The student pilot left the aircraft unharmed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage typical of a bounced landing, including collapse of the nose gear structure, propeller damage, and lower cowling damage. A runway edge light was also damaged.
Relevant Findings
The student pilot had 54:35 hours total flying experience, including 5:35 hours solo. The "Solo Release Form" was completed per operator procedures. The student mentioned he did not retract the flaps after the occurrence; however, the aircraft was found with flaps retracted. The aborted take-off procedure was not performed as foreseen (30° flaps configuration was not selected before touchdown). The aircraft had no reported snags; maintenance was the owner's responsibility. The fire extinguisher bracket was not suitable for the extinguisher model, leading to its release during the collision.
Comments
The GPIAAF noted that a student pilot lapse during the pre-take-off checklist, by not selecting flaps to 10°, could not be excluded, resulting in lower lift for the same rotation speed. The operator subsequently implemented procedures to mitigate identified weaknesses, including 0° flaps take-off practice, emphasis on checklist discipline, and emergency landing after take-off training.