What happened
On July 14, 2005, a TECNAM P-92 ECHO, registration CS-UMY, was performing a solo instructional flight at the Portimão Aerodrome. The flight consisted of several circuit patterns involving three touch-and-go landings, with a fourth landing intended to conclude the training session.
During the final approach, the pilot maintained a normal approach speed; however, the aircraft made contact with the runway with the nose gear first. The aircraft bounced twice, repeatedly striking the pavement on the nose wheel. This sequence of impacts caused the nose gear to collapse, forcing the nose of the aircraft into the ground. The impact destroyed the wooden propeller and caused the aircraft to veer to the right, exiting the runway and coming to rest on the adjacent terrain. The pilot sustained no injuries.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation examined the flight history, the pilot's qualifications, and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The investigation established that the aircraft's documentation was valid and all maintenance schedules had been followed. The pilot, a student with 27 hours of total flight time, was properly licensed for the operation.
Witness testimony and technical analysis confirmed that while the approach parameters were appropriate, the pilot failed to perform the necessary flare to ensure a main-gear-first touchdown. The investigation focused on the structural failure of the nose gear following the repeated heavy impacts on the runway surface.