What happened
On May 2, 2017, a Cessna 152, registration OB-2099, operated by Master of the Sky S.A.C., was conducting a flight training mission at Lib Mandi Aerodrome in San Bartolo, Lima. The flight initially included both an instructor and a student pilot, completing nine successful circuits. Following a positive evaluation by the instructor, the student pilot was cleared to perform a solo training flight consisting of several circuits and a final landing.
During the student's solo operations, the aircraft completed its first circuit without incident. However, after landing and while preparing for a subsequent takeoff (a maneuver known as a touch-and-go), the pilot began retracting the flaps. During this reconfiguration, the pilot lost control of the aircraft, causing it to veer to the left. The Cessna 152 exited the runway and traveled approximately 450 meters before striking a sand mound 10 meters to the left of runway 32. The impact caused structural damage to the aircraft and a propeller strike as the engine shut down upon contact with the ground.
There were no injuries to the pilot, who was evacuated from the scene by emergency services.
The investigation
The Peruvian CIAA initiated a field investigation to examine the circumstances of the excursion. Investigators reviewed technical documentation and met with the operator to analyze the sequence of events. The investigation noted that the narrow width of the runway at Lib Mandi (18 meters) and the complexity of performing flap retraction during a touch-and-go maneuver contributed to the difficulty of the task for a student pilot.
Findings
- The pilot lost directional control of the aircraft during the critical phase of retracting flaps for a touch-and-go takeoff.
- The aircraft's deviation to the left led to a runway excursion and subsequent impact with a sand mound.
- The impact with the terrain resulted in a propeller strike and structural damage to the airframe.