What happened
On September 8, 2013, an Aero Boero AB-115, registration PP-GEV, was performing a flight instruction mission at the Uberlândia Aerodrome (SBUL) in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The flight, operated by Aeroclube de Uberlândia, was intended to conduct training exercises and touch-and-go maneuvers.
During the takeoff roll, as the aircraft reached a speed of 35 knots, the student pilot encountered difficulties maintaining the aircraft's alignment with the runway centerline. This loss of directional control caused the aircraft to veer off the runway axis. The aircraft subsequently pivoted on the right landing gear, which resulted in the failure of the wheel hub. This maneuver caused the right wingtip to strike the ground. The aircraft came to a stop with its nose pointed away from the runway centerline. Both the instructor and the student pilot were uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the flight history and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The investigation confirmed that the instructor held a valid technical certificate and sufficient experience for the flight, while the student pilot had 7 flight hours. The instructor had 205 total flight hours. All medical and airworthiness certificates for the crew and the AB-115 were valid at the time of the occurrence. The aircraft was also found to be within weight and balance limits, with all maintenance logs for the engine, propeller, and airframe up to date.
Findings
- Inadequate control inputs during the takeoff roll.
- Lack of pilot experience regarding directional control during the takeoff phase.