What happened
On April 3, 2010, a Cessna 172N, registration EC-HUV, was conducting a dual instruction flight near the Casarrubios del Monte airfield in Toledo, Spain. The flight, operated by Aerotec, had previously departed from Madrid/Cuatro Vientos for a navigation exercise and subsequent takeoff and landing practice.
During the fourth landing attempt of the session, the aircraft was on final approach with flaps set to 30°. At an altitude of approximately 3 to 5 meters above the runway, a wind gust from the left side struck the aircraft. This gust caused the nose to pitch up significantly, induced a right wing heavy roll, and pushed the aircraft off the centerline.
As the aircraft entered a stall, the instructor took control of the flight surfaces. The instructor applied maximum power and attempted to bank the aircraft to the left to realign with the runway, while simultaneously lowering the nose and retracting one notch of flaps. Despite these efforts, the aircraft could not recover the lost altitude. The left wingtip struck the runway first, followed by the right wingtip and the nose gear. The impact caused the nose gear to collapse, leading the propeller to strike the pavement. The occupants, a student pilot and an instructor, were able to exit the aircraft without injuries.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, meteorological data, and the crew's actions. The Cessna 172N was found to have been well-maintained, with recent inspections completed within the required intervals.
Meteorological records from the airfield indicated moderate winds from the southwest, with speeds between 9 and 12 knots. The investigation analyzed the flight configuration, noting that the use of 30° flaps, while providing maximum lift, also increased the aircraft's drag and sensitivity to wind disturbances.
Findings
- The aircraft was in a high-drag configuration (30° flaps) during the final approach, making it highly susceptible to wind gusts.
- The landing flare maneuver may have been excessive, leaving the aircraft with a high pitch attitude and insufficient airspeed.
- A sudden wind gust from the left caused an increase in the angle of attack and a loss of control.
- The primary cause was a stall triggered by a wind gust immediately following the landing flare.
- The crew's attempt to recover involved banking and retracting flaps, which simultaneously decreased lift and increased the stall speed, preventing an effective recovery at such a low altitude.