Antonov An-2 YR-PBU Accident at Buzău

Event Overview and Aircraft Details On 17 May 2024, an Antonov An-2T registered YR-PBU, owned and operated by Aeroclubul României, was conducting parachute jump flights from the military airfield at Buzău, Romania. The aircraft, manufactured by WSK-PZL MELEC in 1986 (serial 1G215-22), was powered by an ASZ 62IR-16 engine. At the time of the accident, the airframe had 5,091.11 flight hours and the engine had 3,372.54 hours. The aircraft was registered as a historic aircraft and did not carry flight data recorders. ## Crew and Operational Context The crew consisted of a 59-year-old pilot instructor and a 33-year-old student pilot. Both held valid licenses and medical certificates. The student pilot was undergoing training to obtain a co-pilot qualification on the An-2. The aircraft was used for parachute drop operations, which had been proceeding normally prior to the incident. ## Accident Sequence At 10:21 local time, the aircraft landed on runway 03 (heading 030°) immediately after the threshold. The aircraft made contact with the runway on two points—the main landing gear wheels—rather than the standard three-point landing, and at a relatively high speed. During the subsequent rollout, the nose wheel had not yet touched the ground when the main wheel brakes were applied forcefully. This action created a rotational moment around the main gear axis, causing the propeller blades to strike the ground and the aircraft to overturn. The rollout from brake application to the overturn was approximately 45 meters. ## Meteorological and Site Conditions According to the National Meteorology Administration, conditions at the time included a ceiling above 2,500 meters, horizontal visibility of 20 kilometers, and winds of 1–2 m/s with gusts up to 5 m/s from the northeast. Light rain was reported around 11:00. The pilot stated that the aircraft passed through a curtain of rain on the short final approach, approximately 1–2 kilometers before the runway threshold. The Buzău airfield features a grass runway oriented 030°/210°, approximately 730 meters long and 130 meters wide, situated on a larger grassy area managed by the Ministry of National Defense. ## Investigation Findings and Cause The investigation determined that the accident resulted from the forceful application of the braking system while the aircraft was still rolling on two points. The An-2 flight manual specifies that abrupt braking immediately after landing can cause the aircraft to stop nose-first, and recommends smooth, progressive braking. The manual also indicates that normal rollout distances on grass with flaps at 39.5° are 210–225 meters with braking, or 300–350 meters without. The pilot's account of encountering rain on final approach was noted but did not justify the braking action, as the landing occurred near the threshold and the maximum rollout distance was well within the runway length. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft sustained significant damage. The investigation committee issued no safety recommendations.