What happened
On April 14, 2005, at 15:55 local time, a private Cessna 177-B, registration EC-GNH, was conducting a flight from Vitoria Airport to Castellón Aerodrome. The aircraft was carrying a pilot and one passenger.
During the landing phase on runway 18, the aircraft's nose gear made initial contact with the runway surface, causing the gear to collapse. This impact forced the nose of the aircraft downward, resulting in the propeller striking the runway. The aircraft continued to slide to the right before coming to a stop approximately 200 meters further down the runway. Both occupants were uninjured and were able to exit the aircraft on their own.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's experience, the aircraft's technical condition, and the circumstances of the approach. The pilot, who held a valid private pilot license and a current class 2 medical certificate, had 100 flight hours, all of which were in this specific aircraft type.
The pilot stated that he was unfamiliar with the Castellón Aerodrome, noting that its runway is significantly shorter than the 3,500-meter runway at Vitoria Airport, where he had primarily operated. During the approach to runway 18, the pilot perceived that the aircraft was too high and feared the runway length would be insufficient. In response, the pilot applied nose-down pitch to descend more rapidly, which led to a late flare and the initial impact of the nose gear on the pavement.
Findings
- The pilot's lack of familiarity with the shorter runway at Castellón compared to Vitoria influenced his decision-making during the final approach.
- The pilot's perception of being too high prompted an aggressive nose-down maneuver.
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's late flare and subsequent nose gear impact, which triggered the gear collapse and propeller strike.