What happened
On May 5, 2008, a Cessna 152, registration CS-AVC, was performing a local instructional flight at Cascais Municipal Aerodrome (LPCS). The pilot, a student who had recently completed flight training, was conducting his second solo flight. Due to heavy traffic, the air traffic controller instructed the pilot to maintain the runway heading after the first touchdown, extending the circuit pattern in a manner contrary to the standard procedure for that runway.
During the final approach, the pilot was instructed to reduce speed to maintain separation from a preceding Learjet-45. Upon landing on runway 35, before the nose gear had even made contact with the pavement, the aircraft's right wing lifted, causing the plane to veer to the left. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control, and the aircraft exited the runway, traveling across the grass until it collided with a fence protecting a drainage ditch. The impact caused the engine to stop and resulted in light damage to the nose gear, propeller, and left wing leading edge.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation confirmed that the aircraft's mechanical systems, including controls and braking, were fully functional. Meteorological conditions were favorable, with winds nearly aligned with the runway. The investigation focused on the pilot's recent training history and the specific instructions provided by the tower.
Investigators noted that the student's training had been inconsistent, with significant gaps between flight sessions. Specifically, the pilot had gone one month without flying prior to this flight. The investigation also reviewed the air traffic control communications, noting that the instructions to alter the standard circuit and reduce approach speed added significant cognitive load to the pilot.