Serious Incident Involving AT-3 R100 SP-SFA at Sobienie Szlacheckie

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 3 September 2023, a serious incident occurred involving an AT-3 R100 aircraft with registration SP-SFA at the Sobienie Szlacheckie airfield (EPSJ). The aircraft was operating a training flight with an instructor and a student pilot aboard. The incident resulted in serious damage to the aircraft, though no injuries were reported among the crew. ## Sequence of Events The flight began with standard pre-flight preparations, including a pre-flight inspection, documentation checks, and weight and balance calculations, all of which were within limits. The aircraft took off from runway 27 with the intention of performing right-hand circuits. During the seventh circuit, the student pilot was at the controls. The student executed an approach with flaps set to 40 degrees and maintained an approach speed between 60 and 65 knots. ## Landing and Damage During the final phase of the landing, the student pilot flared the aircraft too late and too low. After the initial touchdown on the main landing gear, the aircraft bounced to a small height. The student pilot then pulled the control stick sharply away from themselves. This action caused a second touchdown on the nose gear, resulting in the fracture of the nose gear leg and contact between the propeller and the runway surface. The engine stopped, and the aircraft came to a rest after a short roll, with the lower front part of the fuselage resting on the runway. The crew exited the aircraft under their own power without injury. ## Cause and Contributing Factors The official investigation determined that the cause of the incident was the pilot pulling the control stick away from themselves after the aircraft bounced from the ground. Contributing factors included the student pilot's flare being too low during the approach and the instructor's failure to react to the student's piloting errors. ## Safety Actions The investigation committee accepted preventive actions proposed by the investigating entity, which included refresher training for all instructors and students on topics such as improper landings, go-arounds, emergency situations, and the characteristics of the AT-3 R100. The committee also required a discussion of the incident with the crew. No additional safety recommendations were formulated.