What happened
On January 31, 2007, a Tecnam P2002-JF, registration I-PULV, was performing a solo training flight at Catania Fontanarossa Airport (LICC). After receiving clearance for takeoff from the control tower, the student pilot began the takeoff roll on runway 08. At approximately 30 knots, the aircraft experienced a sudden leftward yaw. In an attempt to correct the deviation, the pilot applied heavy rudder input, but the aircraft veered sharply to the left, deviating approximately 50 degrees from the runway centerline. The aircraft came to a halt on the left side of the runway near taxiway B. The impact caused the nose gear to collapse, resulting in damage to the propeller and the engine mount.
The investigation
The ANSV investigation focused on the mechanical state of the aircraft and the flight experience of the pilot. The aircraft, operated by Aero Club Catania, had completed 117 hours of total flight time, with only 17 hours since its last 100-hour inspection. Physical examination of the wreckage revealed that the left fork of the nose gear strut had suffered a brittle fracture, while the right fork showed plastic deformation and signs of abrasion from contact with the asphalt. This pattern of damage indicated that the nose gear was subjected to an excessive lateral load from right to left.
Furthermore, the investigation found that the rudder was positioned to the left, and the rudder linkage had been damaged in a way that suggested the pilot had maintained leftward rudder pressure even after the gear failure. The investigation also noted that the student pilot had very limited experience, with only 21 hours of total flight time and his first solo flight in this specific aircraft type. Notably, the pilot had not flown solo for six months prior to the incident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was incorrect rudder input by the student pilot. Instead of applying right rudder to counteract the natural leftward yawing tendency (caused by P-factor and gyroscopic effects), the pilot likely applied left rudder, which exacerbated the deviation.
- The sudden, sharp leftward yaw created an excessive structural load on the nose gear, leading to the failure of the left fork and the subsequent nose-down attitude of the aircraft.
- The student pilot's lack of recent solo experience and limited hours in the Tecnam P2002-JF contributed to the inability to manage the aircraft's aerodynamic tendencies during the takeoff roll.
- There were no mechanical defects found in the flight control systems or the aircraft's braking system.