What happened
On November 21, 2025, at approximately 14:30 local time, an Aeroprakt A-32 was performing a recreational flight originating from Curacaví Aerodrome (SCCV). The flight plan involved flying over the Vichuquén sector and proceeding to Santo Domingo Aerodrome (SCSN) to execute a touch-and-go maneuver before returning to the origin.
Upon contacting Runway 23 at Santo Domingo, the aircraft experienced a series of bounces, known as porpoising. During these oscillations, the aircraft's nose gear became misaligned, causing the nose of the plane to pitch downward. This movement resulted in the propeller blades striking the runway surface. The aircraft subsequently veered off the right side of the runway, where the pilot shut down the engine. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
DGAC Chile investigators examined the aircraft at the accident site and later at a hangar in Curacaví. The inspection focused on the structural integrity of the landing gear and the propeller. The investigation established that the nose gear assembly, which is attached to the firewall at two points via aluminum alloy and assembly supports, suffered a mechanical failure. Specifically, a bronze bearing in the lower support moved out of position, causing the lower part of the nose gear strut to become misaligned.
Regarding the propeller, the inspection revealed that the three composite blades had fractured. The design of these blades is intended to break upon impact to protect the engine and the gearbox from damage.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a porpoising condition during the touch-and-go maneuver.
- A bronze bearing in the lower nose gear support dislodged from its position.
- The displacement of the bearing caused the misalignment of the nose gear strut, leading to the downward pitch of the aircraft nose.
- The propeller blades sustained fractures due to contact with the runway surface.