What happened
On May 11, 2015, a Cessna 172-P, registration EC-FQD, was conducting a local flight training mission at the Son Bonet aerodrome in the Balearic Islands. The flight, operated by Panamedia, involved an instructor and a student pilot performing a 70-minute visual navigation exercise around the island.
Upon returning to Son Bonet, the crew established an approach to runway 23. The aircraft was configured with full flaps at a speed of 65 knots. During the landing phase, the student pilot failed to properly flare the aircraft, resulting in a heavy, flat landing. The aircraft struck the runway with significant force and began bouncing repeatedly across the pavement.
During the sequence of bounces, the instructor attempted to take control of the aircraft. However, the flight controls had become extremely heavy and difficult to maneuver. Due to the loss of control effectiveness, the instructor elected not to attempt a go-around, instead maintaining the aircraft on the ground until it came to a complete stop. Both the instructor and the student pilot were uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the structural damage to the aircraft and the mechanics of the landing. Investigators examined the wreckage and found significant damage to the propeller blades, the firewall, and various skin panels and stringers on the forward fuselage. Additionally, the elevator and aileron controls were found to be extremely difficult to move.
Technical analysis revealed that the impact of the nosewheel against the runway was severe enough to deform the firewall. This deformation pushed the control yoke guides downward, causing them to interfere with the control yoke gears, which created the sensation of the controls being "locked."
Consultations with the manufacturer, Cessna, confirmed that while heavy nosewheel impacts can transfer loads through the nose gear to the fuselage, the specific deformation of the firewall observed in this case was consistent with the high-energy impact described by the crew.