What happened
On June 14, 2019, a CESSNA 172, registration EC-HGG, departed from Seville Airport (LEZL) for Córdoba Airport (LEBA) as part of a flight instruction mission. The crew, consisting of an instructor and a student pilot, arrived at Córdoba and prepared for an approach to runway 21. During the final approach, the crew encountered a wind gust, prompting the instructor to instruct the student to increase power.
As the aircraft neared the ground, the student pilot reduced the engine to idle and pulled the control yoke backward, believing the aircraft was nearly at touchdown, while the airspeed had dropped to 50 knots. The instructor attempted to take control and apply power to prevent a stall, but the aircraft made a hard initial contact with the runway, striking the tail. Although the aircraft briefly regained altitude, the student pilot again reduced power to idle and maintained control of the throttle, preventing the instructor from managing the engine settings. This led to a second impact where the aircraft struck the runway with the left wing, the nose, and the propeller, eventually exiting the left side of the runway and coming to rest perpendicular to the pavement. Both occupants were uninjured and evacuated the aircraft on their own.
The investigation
The CIAIAC investigation focused on the flight path and the crew's actions during the landing phase. Investigators examined the aircraft's impact points, noting that the first contact occurred at the very beginning of the runway, well before the displaced threshold. This indicated that the glide slope was too steep. The investigation also reviewed the meteorological conditions, which included crosswind components near the aircraft's operational limits and significant gusts.
Furthermore, the investigation analyzed the interaction between the two crew members. It was established that the student pilot's decision to pull the yoke back and his subsequent interference with the throttle prevented the instructor from executing a successful go-around or maintaining a stable flight path. The investigation also noted that while the airport's fire services were monitoring the frequency, they were not explicitly notified of an emergency via