What happened
On May 6, 2014, a privately owned Scheibe SF25C motor glider, registration JA2529, was performing a ferry flight to Tajima airfield when it experienced a hard landing at Shikabe Airfield in Hokkaido. The flight, which included a passenger, departed from Biei gliding field earlier that morning.
During the approach to runway 25, the pilot encountered strong and gusty winds, with gusts reaching up to 25 knots. To manage the wind, the pilot increased the approach airspeed to 100 km/h and utilized a steeper glide path, though the spoilers were not fully extended. As the aircraft reached a height of approximately eight to ten meters above the ground, the pilot initiated a flare. However, the flare was performed at an unusually high altitude, leading to a "high flare" situation where the aircraft leveled off and lost airspeed. In an attempt to correct the descent, the pilot pushed the control stick forward and partially retracted the spoilers, but the aircraft subsequently struck the ground with significant force, bounced, and came to a halt on the runway. The impact resulted in minor injury to the captain and substantial damage to the aircraft's fuselage, nose structure, main wheel, propeller, and exhaust pipe.
The investigation
The JTSB investigation examined the aircraft's flight path using GPS data, which confirmed a steep glide path of approximately 7:1. Investigators also reviewed meteorological reports, which indicated unstable, gusty wind conditions at the time of the accident. The investigation also considered the pilot's recent flight experience, noting that the captain had only performed a single familiarization flight in this specific aircraft type the previous day, and had only two hours of flight time in the Scheibe SF25C within the preceding year.
Findings
- The primary cause of the damage was a hard landing following a high flare.
- The pilot's corrective actions were ineffective, specifically involving a delay in discontinuing the flare and improper timing/amount of spoiler retraction.
- The aircraft's elevator response was unusually sensitive due to the higher approach airspeed and the partial extension of the spoilers.
- The sudden loss of lift and airspeed was likely exacerbated by a decrease in headwind during the high flare and the high altitude at which the flare was initiated.
- The pilot's limited recent experience with this specific aircraft type contributed to the difficulty of managing the landing in gusty conditions.