What happened
On March 14, 2022, an Evektor-Aerotechnik a.s. SportStar RTC, registration OY-EVE, was engaged in a local flight training mission at Randers Airport (EKRD). The flight was part of a training syllabus involving a student pilot performing landings under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
Prior to the solo portion of the flight, the student pilot completed four landings accompanied by a flight instructor. The instructor noted that the student handled the aircraft well during these initial maneuvers. Following this, the student was cleared to continue the landing circuit solo.
The flight proceeded normally until the first landing attempt, which was harder than anticipated, causing the aircraft to bounce back into the air. In an attempt to correct the aircraft's pitch, the nose was brought down, but this led to a second landing where the nosewheel struck the runway first. This second impact was even more severe than the first, again resulting in the aircraft leaving the ground. A third, progressively harder impact occurred, during which the nosewheel assembly buckled backward and upward. The student pilot successfully brought the aircraft to a stop on the runway and shut down the engine.
The investigation
The Danish Accident Investigation Board (Havarikommissionen) conducted an initial safety investigation. The inquiry examined the sequence of landings, the aircraft's mechanical state, and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. Weather reports indicated favorable visibility and light winds, with a light southeasterly breeze and good lighting conditions.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained significant damage to the nose landing gear, cowling, engine covers, the lower fuselage, and the propeller.
- The propeller caused superficial marks on the runway surface.
- The primary cause of the accident was a sequence of increasingly heavy landings that culminated in the structural failure of the nosewheel assembly.