Student Pilot Training Flight Ends in Nose Gear Failure and Capsizing

Casualties unknown • Medellín, CO

A Cessna 172M experienced a series of bounces during landing at Medellín's Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport, leading to nose gear failure and a dynamic rollover.

What happened

On October 3, 2013, a student pilot was conducting a solo training flight in a Cessna 172M, registration HK1626G, operated by Escuela de Aviación Los Halcones. The flight, which began in Medellín, included a period of maneuvers near Santafé de Antioquia. Due to deteriorating weather conditions and approaching rain showers, an instructor flying a separate aircraft advised the student to return to Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport for an immediate landing.

During the landing on runway 02, the aircraft experienced a series of three bounces on the runway surface. This impact caused the nose gear to fracture and the engine to stop abruptly. The aircraft continued to slide along the runway, with the propeller blades striking the pavement, before veering off the right side of the runway into the safety area. The impact with the ground caused the aircraft to undergo a dynamic rollover, ending up in an inverted position. The student pilot was able to exit the aircraft uninjured.

The investigation

The GRIAA investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance records, the student's training history, and the environmental conditions at the time of the event. Investigators analyzed the physical evidence on the runway, including longitudinal marks left by the propeller and an abrasive track caused by the broken nose gear assembly.

Technical inspections of the Cessna 172M revealed that the nose gear strut was deformed and fractured due to excessive structural overload. The investigation also reviewed the flight school's training program and the student's previous flight logs, which showed a consistent training schedule and satisfactory performance ratings prior to the incident.

Findings

  • The primary cause of the incident was an inadequate recovery technique following aircraft bounces during the landing phase.
  • The student pilot performed a late leveling of the aircraft, resulting in a high vertical acceleration upon contact with the runway.
  • The student pilot experienced a lack of situational awareness during the approach and landing phase.
  • The training organization lacked specific, detailed evaluation criteria regarding recovery techniques for bounced landings within its training manual.
  • The aircraft's nose gear failed due to the extreme mechanical stress of the repeated impacts.
  • Meteorological conditions, while involving nearby showers, were not a direct cause of the landing error.

Probable cause

The incident was caused by the pilot's failure to properly control the aircraft during a series of bounces, specifically due to an inadequate recovery technique and a late leveling of the aircraft, which led to the structural failure of the nose gear.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2013-10-03 172M accident near Medellín, CO?

A Cessna 172M experienced a series of bounces during landing at Medellín's Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport, leading to nose gear failure and a dynamic rollover.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2013-10-03 involved a 172M, registration HK1626, at Medellín, CO.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The incident was caused by the pilot's failure to properly control the aircraft during a series of bounces, specifically due to an inadequate recovery technique and a late leveling of the aircraft, which led to the structural failure of the nose gear.

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