What happened
On 6 July 2019, a student pilot was conducting her fourth solo flight, specifically her first solo area flight to the Malacca training area, in a Diamond DA 40, registration 9M-ITG. After completing flight exercises, the pilot rejoined Malacca International Airport (WMKM). During the approach, the aircraft was traveling at a high speed of 101 knots.
While attempting to manage the approach, the pilot was distracted by heavy radio communications from the control tower, leading to a failure to perform standard downwind checks. As the aircraft reached the threshold, the pilot attempted to flare; however, the flare was late and insufficient. This caused the aircraft to bounce several times on the runway. During these bounces, the propeller blades struck the runway surface, chipping approximately 6 cm off the tips of all three blades. The pilot initially did not realize the strike had occurred, reporting the landing as normal until ground staff identified the damage after engine shutdown.
The investigation
AAIB Malaysia examined the flight sequence, the aircraft's condition, and the aerodrome environment. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft, owned by International Aero Training Academy Sdn. Bhd., sustained damage to its wood-composite propeller assembly. An inspection of the runway by airport authorities revealed three distinct strike marks and scattered debris consisting of wood and plastic. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's training records and the cockpit environment, noting the absence of flight recorders (FDR/CVR) on the aircraft.