What happened
On August 17, 2012, a Diamond DA20-C1, registration PR-SAO, was conducting a touch-and-go training flight from Campo de Marte (SBMT) to Atibaia (SDTB). The flight was operated by Aeroclube de São Paulo for instructional purposes, with an instructor and a student on board.
During the second landing attempt on runway 02, the aircraft experienced a heavy touchdown and floated. As the crew initiated a go-around, the aircraft drifted to the left, deviating from the runway centerline. In an attempt to correct the deviation, the crew applied full right rudder; however, the aircraft continued to drift. As the aircraft slowed, the instructor took control of the flight, but was unable to prevent the right main landing gear from striking a taxiway. The impact caused the right landing gear strut to break.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the flight sequence and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft was within weight and balance limits, and all required airworthiness and pilot certifications were valid. The weather conditions at the time were favorable for visual flight rules (VFR) with calm winds. The investigation focused on the aerodynamic behavior of the aircraft during the transition from the landing roll to the go-around and the subsequent corrective inputs made by the crew.
Findings
- The aircraft suffered substantial damage to the right landing gear, right flap, and right wing.
- The sudden yawing motion, occurring while the crew attempted to correct the leftward drift with right rudder, may have induced lateral imbalance due to the inertia of the movement.
- The application of left differential braking at low speeds may have contributed to lateral instability, facilitating the loss of control.
- Pilot judgment and the specific application of flight controls were identified as contributing factors to the excursion.