What happened
On October 27, 2011, an Aero Boero AB-115, registration PP-GMI, was conducting a flight instruction mission at the Blumenau Regional Airport in Santa Catarina, Brazil. The flight involved an instructor and a student pilot. Following two touch-and-go maneuvers, the aircraft attempted a third landing. During the landing roll, the right landing gear failed, causing the pilot to lose directional control. The aircraft veered off the right side of the runway and came to a stop in the grassy overrun area.
The impact resulted in substantial damage to the engine, propeller, landing gear, and the right wing. Both occupants of the aircraft were uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the structural integrity of the landing gear and the operational procedures of the flight school. Technical analysis of the landing gear component revealed that the fracture occurred due to an overload at a weld point. The investigation determined that the weld was poorly executed, which significantly compromised the component's strength.
Furthermore, the investigation established that the aircraft was being operated above the maximum landing weight specified in its manual. This operational error was linked to a lack of managerial oversight by the Aeroclube de Blumenau and a failure in pilot judgment during the instruction flight.