What happened
On July 30, 2007, at approximately 17:50 UTC, a Cessna 305C, registration I-EIAZ, was conducting a local pleasure flight at Rieti Airport. The flight took place during the fifth World Gliding Championship, an event that had officially concluded for the day following a radio notification from the race director to the AFIS controller.
After performing several maneuvers and a series of takeoffs and landings, the pilot attempted to land on runway 34L. Upon touchdown, the aircraft experienced a significant left yaw. During the attempt to correct this yaw using the brakes and pedals, the right main landing gear leg failed. The right wheel separated from the gear leg, causing the aircraft to veer 90 degrees left of the runway centerline and come to a stop approximately 500 meters from the runway threshold. The impact caused the propeller to strike the ground, resulting in deformation, and caused damage to the engine cowling and the right wingtip.
There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, both of whom evacuated the aircraft independently after the electrical power was disconnected.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation examined the operational status of the airport and the pilot's communications. It was noted that the flight was conducted without specific authorization, as the pilot believed a prior request to the Rome Ciampino Airport Authority was sufficient. Furthermore, the flight occurred while the airport was technically without active firefighting assistance, as the championship's specialized services had concluded for the day. The pilot mistakenly believed the service was still active because a fire vehicle was visible near the hangars.
Regarding communications, the investigation found that although the pilot failed to respond to the AFIS controller's request for flight notification, the radio equipment was functioning perfectly. It is highly probable that the pilot's headset volume or the aircraft radio volume was set too low, preventing him from hearing the controller. This lack of communication meant the pilot was unaware of the specific wind conditions, which included a 6.9-knot tailwind and a 5.8-knot crosswind component.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's improper execution of the landing maneuver, which induced a left yaw.
- The lateral stress during this yaw caused the failure of the right main gear retaining pins, leading to the separation of the wheel.
- The pilot's failure to maintain effective radio contact with AFIS prevented him from receiving updated wind information.
- The flight was conducted without the required airport authorization and without active firefighting services on standby.