What happened
On June 22, 2025, an Aeroprakt A-22 LS, registration SP-SEFT, was conducting a cross-country training flight from Kołobrzeg/Bagicz (EPKG) to Trzebicz Nowy (EPTN). The crew, consisting of an instructor and a student, initially performed a reconnaissance pass over the landing field to assess wind direction and speed. Following an unsuccessful first approach to runway 09 due to incorrect landing calculations, the crew entered a second circuit and decided to approach runway 26.
During the approach to runway 26, the aircraft encountered thermal turbulence and wind gusts, which led to an unstable approach. Upon touchdown, the aircraft failed to maintain smooth contact with the grass runway surface, instead performing three uncontrolled bounces. During the landing roll, the aircraft likely experienced a significant nose-down moment, resulting in the failure of the nose gear strut. The propeller subsequently struck the ground, and the impact caused the engine cowling to break away. The crew sustained no injuries and evacuated the aircraft independently.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence, the environmental conditions, and the crew's actions during the unstable approach and the subsequent bounces. The inquiry focused on the instructor's management of the student pilot's errors and the mechanical consequences of the landing technique used during the touchdown phase.