What happened
On August 12, 2010, a student pilot was performing a solo training flight consisting of touch-and-go landings at Helsinki-Malmi Airport. The aircraft, an AS 202/18A4 with registration OH-NTL, was utilizing runway 09, a shorter strip than the student's usual runway 18/30.
During the approach, the pilot attempted to land closer to the runway threshold to account for the shorter distance. This resulted in a higher-than-normal sink rate upon touchdown. Following the contact, the aircraft began bouncing repeatedly. In an attempt to stabilize the aircraft and continue the touch-and-go, the pilot applied full power. However, the sudden application of power caused the aircraft to yaw sharply to the left toward runway obstacles.
In an effort to avoid these obstacles, the pilot pulled the aircraft into a steep climb at an insufficient airspeed. During this maneuver, the pilot inadvertently retracted the flaps fully instead of leaving them at the intermediate 15-degree setting. This error increased the stall speed. The aircraft entered a stall at approximately 10 meters of altitude, banking sharply to the left and striking the ground with the left wing, followed by the nose and right wing. The aircraft slid 20–30 meters on its tail before coming to a stop. There were no fatalities or injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The OTKES investigation examined the pilot's training background, the aircraft's airworthiness, and the sequence of flight maneuvers. Investigators noted that the student had recently undergone several check-flights, some of which had been failed due to issues with stall recovery and landing techniques. The investigation also reviewed the training organization's records, finding that some flight logs and instructor notes were incomplete or missing.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the loss of control due to incorrect control inputs during the go-around.
- The pilot's lack of experience with runway 09, which appeared shorter than its actual length due to surrounding terrain, increased cognitive load.
- The pilot's attempt to land near the threshold led to an excessive sink rate.
- The inadvertent retraction of the flaps to the fully up position significantly increased the stall speed during a high-pitch, low-speed climb.
- The student's tendency to push the control stick forward to prevent bouncing during landings contributed to the instability during the touchdown phase.