Incident Overview
On March 6, 2025, a serious aircraft incident occurred at Szymanów airfield (EPWS) involving an AT-3 R100 aircraft, registration SP-ACN. The aircraft was being operated by a student pilot training for a Private Pilot License (PPL). The incident was investigated by the State Commission on Aircraft Accident Investigation (PKBWL).
Sequence of Events
The student pilot conducted two solo navigation flights under the supervision of an instructor who was present at the airfield but positioned a considerable distance from the landing area. The first flight was completed without issue. During the landing concluding the second flight, the aircraft bounced four times after touchdown, prompting the pilot to abort the landing and initiate a go-around. The subsequent landing attempt also failed: the aircraft again bounced repeatedly, resulting in the fracture of the nose landing gear leg. The aircraft came to a stop in a damaged state.
Aircraft and Pilot Status
The aircraft was reported to be technically serviceable, and all required airworthiness documents were current. The student pilot did not sustain any injuries. Both the student pilot and the instructor underwent breathalyzer tests administered by police; no alcohol was detected. Weather conditions were not considered a contributing factor and were suitable for safe flight operations.
Cause and Contributing Factors
The probable cause of the incident was determined to be an error in piloting technique: the student pilot improperly reacted to the bounce off the runway surface during landing, specifically failing to correct what is known as a "kangaroo" landing. Two contributing factors were identified: stress resulting from the previous unsuccessful landing, and the excessive distance of the supervising instructor from the landing site.
Findings and Recommendations
The PKBWL accepted the preventive actions proposed by the investigating entity, which included briefing the aviation personnel at the training center on the findings of this serious incident. No additional safety recommendations were formulated by the Commission.