What happened
On March 23, 2018, an Aero Boero AB-115, registration PP-GQA, was performing a local flight instruction mission at the Canela Aerodrome (SSCN) in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The aircraft was operated by Aeroclube de Canela and carried two occupants: a flight instructor and a student pilot performing his first practical flight instruction.
During the landing sequence, the aircraft initially made a three-point touchdown but subsequently became airborne again. Upon the second contact with the runway, the right wing dropped. The instructor attempted to correct the deviation using aileron inputs and the left brake, but was unsuccessful. The aircraft drifted to the right, exiting the runway and traveling approximately 70 meters across the grass area. The accident culminated when the right main landing gear struck a rock, causing the aircraft to capsize. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, but both occupants emerged uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy, within weight and balance limits, and that all maintenance logs were up to date. The weather conditions were reported as favorable for flight. The investigation focused on the pilot's performance and training history.
Review of the instructor's flight training records revealed a pattern of recurring difficulties during landing maneuvers. Specifically, the instructor had previously demonstrated delays in perceiving wind effects and applying necessary corrections, as well as tendencies to land with excessive energy or off the runway centerline. The investigation concluded that the instructor's training had not sufficiently developed the technical proficiency required to perform flight instruction safely, particularly regarding stabilized approaches and landing control.
Findings
- Inadequate use of flight controls during the landing roll led to the loss of ground control.
- Deficiencies in pilot training and capacity, as the instructor's previous landing difficulties persisted into his instructional role.
- Failure in pilot judgment and decision-making, specifically the failure to execute a go-around when the aircraft became unstable during the landing sequence.
- The instructor's training process failed to ensure the necessary technical competencies were fully developed for the role of flight instructor.