Super-Dimona Capsizes During Landing Attempt at Morup Airport

Casualties unknown • Aircraft accident in Falkenberg, SE

A motor glider experienced a nose gear failure and overturned during a landing attempt at a Swedish grass airfield, resulting in minor injuries.

What happened

On April 30, 2017, a Super-Dimona motor glider, registration SE-UOP, was performing a private flight from Borås to Morup Airport in Halland, Sweden. Upon arrival, the pilot evaluated the wind conditions and elected to land on runway 27. The initial landing attempt resulted in several bounces, prompting the pilot to execute a go-around.

During the second landing attempt, the aircraft's main gear made contact with the grass surface, followed by a 40-meter bounce. During the subsequent contact, the nose gear struck the ground ahead of the main gear. The nose gear dug into the soft turf and suffered an overload failure, causing the aircraft to pitch forward and come to rest upside down. The canopy cracked upon impact, but both the pilot and the passenger were able to egress the aircraft independently. The pilot sustained minor injuries, while the passenger remained uninjured.

The investigation

Investigators from the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) analyzed GPS logger data, interviewed the pilot, the passenger, and an eyewitness, and performed a laboratory analysis of the broken nose gear strut.

Review of the GPS data revealed that while the first landing attempt followed a normal profile, the second approach was characterized by a higher altitude and a significantly higher sink rate, ranging from 7 to 11.5 m/s, compared to 3 to 5 m/s during the first attempt. Furthermore, the approach speed was approximately 140 km/h, which exceeded the recommended range of 110–115 km/h.

Analysis of the nose gear strut confirmed a clean overload fracture. Tracks on the runway indicated that the nose gear made contact with the ground before the main gear during the second touchdown, subsequently digging into the soft surface.

Findings

  • The second landing approach was flown at an excessive speed of approximately 140 km/h.
  • The aircraft experienced a high sink rate during the second approach, which led to a bounce upon touchdown.
  • The pilot's attempt to compensate for the bounce resulted in the nose gear striking the ground before the main gear.
  • The nose gear failed due to an overload caused by the gear digging into the soft grass surface.
  • The pilot's relatively low total flight experience and recent lack of flight time may have contributed to the handling of the landing attempt.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by an excessive approach speed and sink rate during the second landing attempt, which induced a bounce that led to the nose gear striking the ground ahead of the main gear and subsequently failing under the stress of the soft runway surface.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2017-04-30 aircraft accident near Aircraft accident in Falkenberg, SE?

A motor glider experienced a nose gear failure and overturned during a landing attempt at a Swedish grass airfield, resulting in minor injuries.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2017-04-30 involved a aircraft, at Aircraft accident in Falkenberg, SE.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The accident was caused by an excessive approach speed and sink rate during the second landing attempt, which induced a bounce that led to the nose gear striking the ground ahead of the main gear and subsequently failing under the stress of the soft runway surface.

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