What happened
On June 22, 2001, at approximately 11:30 local time, an American General Aircraft Corporation AG-5B, registration EC-FQN, was performing a solo instructional flight originating from Sabadell Airport. After completing an eighty-minute flight through the Lérida area, the student pilot returned to Sabadell to land.
During the landing roll, the aircraft experienced a bounce. Upon the subsequent touchdown, the propeller made contact with the runway surface. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight conditions and the sequence of the landing maneuver. At the time of the incident, meteorological conditions were favorable, with visibility exceeding 10,000 meters, a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, and no recorded wind gusts.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a hard landing that resulted in the aircraft bouncing.
- This bounce led to a subsequent loss of control during the landing roll, causing the propeller to strike the ground.
- The aircraft sustained minor damage, specifically to the propeller, and left propeller marks on the runway.