What happened
On March 18, 2005, a Cessna 305 C, registration I-EIAD, was performing a training flight at L’Aquila Preturo airport. During the landing roll on runway 36, the aircraft experienced a significant yawing motion. This instability caused the wingtips to strike the runway surface. The impact of the landing gear against the pavement was severe enough to cause the left main wheel to detach from the aircraft. The aircraft sustained structural damage, including abrasions and deformations to the fuselage and wingtips, but the two occupants—the pilot and a passenger—remained uninjured.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation focused on the sequence of events during the landing phase and the technical state of the aircraft. Investigators reviewed the pilot's flight history, noting that while the pilot was highly experienced in large multi-engine aircraft, they had very limited experience flying this specific type of single-engine aircraft with a tailwheel configuration, having logged only 58 total hours on the Cessna 305 C. The investigation also examined the aircraft's maintenance records and the meteorological conditions at the time of the accident, which were reported as CAVOK with no wind.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's incorrect assessment of the descent rate during the final approach, which resulted in a heavy landing.
- The loss of control and subsequent yawing motion led to the wingtip strikes and the detachment of the left main wheel.
- A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of experience operating a single-engine aircraft with a tailwheel configuration.