What happened
On September 15, 2017, at approximately 14:24 local time, a Cessna 152, registration OB-2031, operated by the Escuela Peruana de Aviación Civil (ESPAC), was conducting a solo flight for a private pilot student course. The aircraft departed from runway 22 at Capitan FAP Renán El Orlina Airport in Pisco, Peru.
Following takeoff, the pilot entered the upwind leg to perform the first of three scheduled touch-and-go maneuvers. The aircraft proceeded to the base leg, where the pilot configured the plane with 20 degrees of flaps before commencing the final approach. According to air traffic control and flight instructor reports, the approach was maintained at a speed between 55 and 65 KIAS with a normal descent angle.
During the transition to the landing flare, the pilot lowered the aircraft's nose, causing the nose gear to make contact with the runway simultaneously with the main landing gear. This resulted in a series of bounces. During a subsequent heavy landing, the nose gear strut failed at the fork, causing the nose wheel to detach. The aircraft slid along the left side of the runway for several meters before coming to a halt near the PAPI lights, approximately 310 meters from the runway threshold.
The investigation
The CIAA investigation involved field inspections of the accident site, including the examination of debris distribution and runway tracks. Investigators conducted interviews with the pilot, the flight instructor, air traffic control personnel, and airport emergency services (SEI). The investigation also included a review of the aircraft's maintenance and airworthiness records in coordination with the DGAC. The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) appointed a representative to coordinate technical information exchange.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained significant damage to the nose section and the engine due to a propeller strike caused by the impact with the runway.
- The pilot sustained minor injuries to the left hand and received medical treatment at the airport's medical post.
- The primary cause of the gear failure was the improper nose-down attitude during the landing flare, which led to a sequence of bounces and structural failure of the nose gear fork.