What happened
On December 7, 2022, a Piper PA-18 aircraft, registration PT-ARC, was performing a local flight instruction mission at Aeródromo Fazenda Vale Eldorado in Bragança Paulista, Brazil. The flight was a touch-and-go training session intended to help a student pilot obtain a Private Pilot License. The crew consisted of a flight instructor in the rear seat and a student pilot in the front seat.
During the landing phase, the aircraft approached the runway at a speed likely exceeding recommended limits. As the aircraft transitioned through the flare, it gained unexpected altitude and drifted toward the left side of the runway. Upon touchdown, the aircraft suddenly swerved to the left. In an attempt to correct the deviation and avoid an embankment, the student pilot applied takeoff power. The instructor attempted to intervene by aborting the go-around and managing the pedals, but the aircraft veered toward the right edge of the runway. The aircraft eventually exited the runway on its right side, coming to a stop in a depression between the runway and the taxiway.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the aircraft, the flight school's records, and video footage from the airfield. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was airworthy, with valid maintenance logs and all primary flight controls functioning correctly. The weather conditions were well above the minimums required for VFR flight, and the wind was calm.
Investigators analyzed the flight school's safety management system and found that while the organization had a safety manual in place, no specific control records were presented during the initial investigation. The investigation also noted that the flight school's manual did not provide specific recommended techniques for landing this particular conventional gear model, and the training program lacked specific guidance regarding ground loss-of-control scenarios.
Findings
- Loss of directional control following touchdown.
- Inadequate pilot judgment during the flare, resulting in an excessive approach speed and floating.
- Poor cockpit coordination and communication between the student and the instructor, characterized by conflicting control inputs (the student applied power while the instructor attempted to abort the maneuver).
- Lack of experience of the student pilot.
- Inadequate task management between the two crew members during the critical moments of the excursion.
- Potential improper use of brakes by the student pilot during the correction attempt.