What happened
On March 12, 2022, at approximately 11:45 UTC, a Diamond DA20-C1, registration EC-JOV, was performing a private VFR flight returning to La Axarquía Aerodrome (LEAX) in Málaga, Spain. During the landing phase, the pilot failed to complete the flare maneuver, causing the aircraft to fly parallel to the runway before the nose was lowered, resulting in several bounces on the runway surface.
As the aircraft bounced and lost speed, the pilot attempted to regain flight by applying maximum engine power. However, at the moment of power application, the aircraft's speed had dropped to 36 knots, well below the 58-knot minimum required by the flight manual to successfully execute a go-around. The sudden surge of power caused a loss of directional control, pulling the aircraft to the left of the runway centerline. The aircraft crossed a taxiway, leaving brake marks, and struck the aerodrome's perimeter fence before plunging approximately 3 meters into an adjacent dry riverbed.
The investigation
The investigation utilized flight tracking data from the operator's fleet monitoring system, as the aircraft was not equipped with conventional flight recorders. The investigation also reviewed video footage recorded by a flight instructor who was observing the landing from the runway threshold.
Investigators analyzed the aircraft's speed and altitude profiles, noting that the aircraft was flying at approximately 60 knots during final approach. The analysis confirmed that the pilot's decision to apply full power was delayed until the aircraft had already lost significant momentum through successive bounces. The investigation also examined the physical damage to the aircraft, including a fractured nose gear, a broken right main gear, and a damaged propeller tip.
Findings
- The pilot failed to complete the flare, leading to multiple bounces on the runway.
- The pilot's decision to apply maximum power was made too late, after the aircraft had already slowed significantly.
- The application of maximum power at a low speed of 36 knots caused the aircraft to deviate left of the runway axis.
- The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose gear, the right main gear, and the propeller.
- The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, escaped the wreckage uninjured.