What happened
On April 23, 2012, an Aero Boero AB-115, registration PP-FKV, was conducting a flight training mission at the Blumenau Aerodrome (SSBL) in Santa Catarina, Brazil. The aircraft was operated by Aeroclube de Blumenau with an instructor and a student pilot on board.
During the second landing of the flight, while the flaps were set to the 45-degree position, the student pilot lost directional control of the aircraft to the left. This loss of control caused the propeller and spinner to strike the ground with significant force, subsequently leading the aircraft to capgi (capotagem) within the runway boundaries. Both occupants of the aircraft were uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation established that the aircraft was in a valid airworthy condition, with all maintenance logs for the engine, propeller, and airframe up to date. The aircraft was also within its proper weight and balance limits. The instructor was fully qualified with 348 total flight hours, including 163 hours in this specific model, and both crew members held valid medical and technical certifications.
Investigators noted that the aircraft was removed from the accident site without the required authorization from the Investigating Command. Additionally, the official notification of the occurrence was provided by third parties rather than the operator.
Findings
- The primary cause of the loss of control was the excessive application of the brakes by the student pilot, which prevented the instructor from implementing necessary corrections in time.
- The impact with the ground caused substantial damage to the propeller and the spinner.