What happened
On June 17, 2022, an AB-115 aircraft, registration PP-GEJ, was performing a solo flight at the Coronel Aviador Carlos Orleans Guimarães Aerodrome in Fernandópolis, São Paulo. The aircraft was being operated by Aeroclube de Fernandópolis for a student pilot's private pilot course training.
During the landing phase of the solo flight, the student pilot lost control of the aircraft on the runway. The aircraft veered toward the left side of the runway, causing the right wingtip and the propeller to strike the ground. The aircraft subsequently exited the runway through the left-hand grass area. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the engine, propeller, landing gear, and right wing, but the student pilot suffered no injuries.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation examined the student pilot's training records, which revealed a history of difficulties during the landing flare and a tendency to touch down too quickly or off-axis. While some instructors had noted abrupt rudder applications in previous missions, the student's recent evaluations had been marked as satisfactory.
Investigators found that during the accident flight, the student pilot approached the runway misaligned and utilized frequent, heavy left-hand pedal inputs to correct the deviation. This resulted in several floating episodes and a landing that was not aligned with the runway centerline. The investigation also highlighted that the school's coordination failed to identify or properly grade these recurring errors, which prevented the student from receiving the necessary remedial instruction before being cleared for solo flight.
Findings
- Improper flight control handling: The student pilot used excessive left-hand rudder inputs and failed to maintain the runway centerline, leading to a loss of directional control.
- Inadequate training monitoring: The student's recurring difficulties with the landing flare and centerline maintenance were not appropriately identified or addressed by the flight school's coordination.
- Inappropriate grading: Previous flight evaluations failed to reflect the student's technical deficiencies, as the student never received a deficient grade despite documented errors.
- Insufficient pilot experience: The student pilot had only 20 hours and 30 minutes of total flight time at the time of the accident.
- Managerial oversight: The flight school's management failed to provide adequate oversight of the student's progress and the instructor's grading accuracy.