What happened
On April 24, 2006, a Fournier RF 5 motor glider, registration D-KURS, attempted to land at Venice San Nicolò Airport (LIPV) during a period of clear weather (CAVOK). The flight originated from Thiene, where the aircraft is normally based. The pilot, accompanied by a passenger, intended to fly toward the Adriatic coast.
During the approach, the pilot attempted to contact Lido Radio but was unsuccessful. After completing an initial reconnaissance circuit, the pilot decided to proceed with the landing, partly because they had heard another aircraft arriving at the same destination via radio. As the aircraft neared the runway, the pilot realized the landing gear had not been extended. This resulted in the wooden propeller striking the ground, causing damage to both propeller blades, though the aircraft continued to roll for approximately 50 meters without further impact.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation focused on why the aircraft attempted to land at an airport that was officially closed and why the landing gear was not deployed. The investigation found that while the pilot had notified the handling company in Venice of the intended arrival, they were never informed of the airport's closure.
Records indicated that although the airport's service hours had been modified by recent NOTAMs, the standard operating procedure remained that the airport was closed on non-holiday Mondays. The pilot had assumed the airport would be open because the following day, Tuesday, April 25, was a national holiday. The investigation also noted that the pilot did not utilize a formal flight plan for this VFR flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the landing gear failure was the failure to extend the gear during the landing phase, likely due to the pilot's distraction following the failed radio communication with Lido Radio.
- The landing on a closed runway was attributed to inadequate flight planning, as the pilot failed to consult the official ATS documentation (AIP Italia) to verify the airport's operational status.
- The pilot's assumption that the airport would be open due to the upcoming holiday contributed to the decision to proceed with the landing.