What happened
On July 25, 2015, at 18:40 UTC, a Neiva 56-C, registration PP-GUU, was performing a solo flight as part of a Private Pilot training program at the Cruz Alta Aeroclube in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The flight was intended to consist of a single traffic pattern and a landing. During the landing phase, the aircraft touched the runway, gained altitude again, but subsequently lost lift and struck the runway with significant force. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, though the student pilot remained uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation revealed significant irregularities in the student's training progression and the flight school's oversight. The student pilot had accumulated approximately 30 flight hours and 98 landings, but records showed a high frequency of poor performance ratings. Specifically, the student had received unsatisfactory grades in 11 different flights, often related to landing and simulated engine failure exercises.
Investigators found that the training schedule lacked sufficient intervals between lessons, preventing the student from properly assimilating instruction or conducting necessary theoretical review. Furthermore, the investigation noted that the student's recent flight logs lacked proper oversight from the course coordinator. On the day of the accident, the student had already completed a flight with a poor rating before being cleared for the solo mission. The investigation also highlighted that the instructor performed the debriefing in an inadequate location and that the solo flight profile did not strictly adhere to the required training syllabus, which should have triggered a more conservative supervisory approach or a formal flight council review.
Findings
- Inadequate application of flight controls
- Deficiencies in flight instruction and supervision
- Poor pilot judgment and lack of experience
- Inadequate management planning and oversight by the flight school
- Failure to follow the prescribed training syllabus for solo flight preparation