What happened
On August 31, 2003, a Cessna 172N, registration EC-IEH, was performing a general aviation pleasure flight from Granada to Madrid. After an initial flight from Cuatro Vientos to Granada earlier that day, the pilot and one passenger began the return leg in the afternoon.
During the approach to Cuatro Vientos Airport, the tower informed the pilot of 26-knot winds from 260 degrees, with gusts up to 23 knots and reported wind shear. The pilot executed a wide circuit to maintain stability. During the landing roll on runway 28, the aircraft initially made contact with the main gear. However, a sudden gust of wind increased lift, causing the aircraft to lift off the ground again at approximately 45 knots.
The pilot attempted to manage the aircraft by maintaining a neutral nose position, but a second, more violent bounce occurred as the airspeed had dropped significantly. This second impact resulted in a sharp descent, causing the nose gear to strike the runway with high force. The aircraft slid along the runway until the nose gear collapsed, and the propeller tips made contact with the pavement. There were no fatalities and no serious injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
The CIAIAC examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the mechanical state of the nose gear. Investigators verified that the nose gear fork was not subject to any outstanding Airworthiness Directives, as the part had been inspected in May 2002 and met the required diameter specifications. The inspection of the broken fork surface showed no evidence of pre-existing defects, suggesting the failure was due to an instantaneous overload.
Meteorological data from the airport confirmed that wind gusts of up to 23 knots were present during the period surrounding the accident, consistent with the information provided by the tower to the pilot.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a strong headwind gust that increased lift during the landing roll, triggering an uncontrolled bounce.
- The second impact occurred at a very low airspeed, leading to a high-energy descent that exceeded the structural load limits of the nose gear fork.
- While the pilot attempted to stabilize the aircraft, the rapid nature of the wind shear made it difficult to execute an alternative maneuver, such as a go-around or a power application to cushion the descent.
- The flight planning was deemed appropriate, as the pilot had checked weather information and consulted with the aircraft operator prior to departure.