Incident Overview
On 23 February 2025, a Cessna 152 (registration SP-GDC) operated at the aerodrome EPPR was involved in a serious incident during a solo training flight. The student pilot, who had successfully completed two previous solo circuits, was performing a third circuit when a series of errors led to a hard landing that damaged the aircraft.
Sequence of Events
The instructor had planned circuit training for a student pilot. After check flights, the student proceeded to solo flights, completing the first two correctly. During the third circuit, the student delayed the fourth turn, resulting in a position off the landing approach axis. The aircraft approached with a slight crosswind and increased speed, and the student inadequately corrected for drift. During landing, the student flared too high. Attempting to correct, the student pushed the yoke forward, causing a longitudinal imbalance. The aircraft touched down on the nose landing gear, which collapsed, and the propeller was destroyed. The aircraft came to a stop several dozen meters beyond the runway. The student was not injured.
Causes and Contributing Factors
The investigation identified several factors leading to the incident: 1. Improper correction of longitudinal imbalance (porpoising) during landing by abruptly pushing the yoke forward and touching down on the nose gear. 2. Approach without proper alignment with the landing direction (runway centerline). 3. Landing with a crosswind and inadequate elimination of drift. 4. The student's lack of recent flying and irregular training schedule. 5. The supervising instructor's failure to react to the student's errors during the approach.
Safety Actions
The operator stated that the incident would be discussed during a flight safety team meeting, covering:
- Causes of landing errors and methods of correction.
- The need to analyze the regularity of student pilots' flights before authorizing solo flights.
- The role of the supervising instructor during solo flights and the time pressure in making decisions and issuing commands when the student makes errors.
- The psychology of the student, who may be reluctant to admit needing more check flights after a long break.
No formal safety recommendations were issued by the commission.