Incident Overview
On July 10, 2002, a Cessna 180H Skywagon 180 with registration CS-DCV was involved in an accident at the Aeródromo Municipal de Portimão. The aircraft, operated by ATA – Aerocondor Transportes Aéreos, S.A., departed from Cascais Aerodrome at 17:32 UTC for a visual flight rules trip to Portimão. The pilot, a 32-year-old Portuguese national with 378 hours of total experience, was the sole occupant.
Flight Progression and Accident Sequence
The pilot completed a touch-and-go maneuver on runway 29 without incident. During the final approach for landing, which touched down at 18:32 UTC approximately 100 meters past the touchdown marks, the aircraft initially rolled normally. However, in the second third of the runway, the aircraft began to bounce alternately between the left and right main gear wheels.
The pilot lost control as the aircraft veered off the right side of the runway. The aircraft came to rest in an unbalanced position supported only by the left main gear leg. During this sequence, the left main gear strut fractured and separated from the airframe. The left wing, left horizontal stabilizer, and propeller struck the ground, causing significant structural deformation.
Damage and Investigation Findings
The investigation reported severe damage to the aircraft, including a folded left wing with internal structural damage, a deformed left horizontal stabilizer, and a fractured windshield due to frame distortion. The pilot's door separated from the airframe due to broken hinges. No other property damage was recorded.
Meteorological data at the time indicated winds from 310 degrees at 18 knots with gusts up to 24 knots. The investigation concluded that the loss of control during the landing roll, exacerbated by the bouncing motion and subsequent deviation from the runway centerline, led to the structural failure of the landing gear and airframe components.