What happened
Between June 2000 and February 2002, several serious aviation occurrences were investigated by the ANSV:
- June 13, 2000: A Short SC7, registration VH-WGG, was conducting a skydiving flight near Padova. After several jumpers had exited, a jump instructor attempted to close the main door. Because the support latches had been retracted to facilitate the jumps, the door was caught by the airflow, detached from the aircraft, and fell into the populated area of Padova. The instructor successfully deployed a parachute and landed safely.
- May 25, 2001: An airprox occurred at Roma Urbe airport involving a Cessna 182, registration I-LUPP, and a BN-2P, registration I-LACO. The I-LACO aircraft was performing aerial work (banner towing) and was maneuvering to return to final approach. Simultaneously, the I-LUPP entered the aerodrome traffic zone (ATZ) from the direction of Lugo di Romagna without prior contact with the tower or reporting its entry point. The aircraft were positioned perpendicularly at a close distance, prompting the tower to instruct the I-LACO to perform a 60-degree turn to avoid a collision.
- July 23, 2001: During landing at Bari Palese, a Socata TB 9, registration I-IAEU, experienced a lateral excursion. After touchdown in full flaps, the pilot noted the right wing lifting and attempted to correct with right control input, which resulted in a left yaw. Despite efforts to use brakes and rudder, the aircraft veered off the runway, causing minor damage to the right wing after impacting a runway light.
- August 4, 2001: A Fuji FA-200-160, registration D-ELHR, experienced an engine failure during a flight near Caorle. Following an irregular engine noise and a drop in RPM, the engine stopped completely. The pilot performed an emergency landing on a nearby beach. While there were no injuries, the aircraft sustained damage to the right wing, landing gear, and flaps, and struck two bicycles and two umbrellas on the beach.
- February 12, 2002: During takeoff from Bratislava, a Fokker F.27, registration I-SIXA, experienced an engine shutdown. The right engine's propeller automatically feathered, and the engine stopped. The pilot aborted the takeoff and returned to the parking area.
The investigation
The ANSV examined various technical aspects, including fuel system integrity, engine functionality, and pilot procedures. In the case of the Fuji FA-200-160, investigators examined the fuel system and found that the left tank vent was nearly completely blocked. In the Short SC7 incident, the investigation focused on the door latch mechanism and the sequence of operations during the jump phase.