What happened
On September 28, 2004, at 17:40 h, a SOCATA TOBOG TB-10, registration EC-FPO, was conducting a local instructional flight from Salamanca Airport. The aircraft was operated by Adventia and was being piloted solo by a student pilot performing a training maneuver.
During the landing phase, the pilot initiated a flare from an altitude significantly higher than recommended for the established high-angle descent path. This maneuver caused the aircraft to lift back into the air immediately after the initial touchdown on the runway. As the aircraft descended for a second time, it struck the runway with a nose-low attitude.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight sequence and the mechanical impact of the landing. The analysis established that the nose gear strut failed upon impact, with the nose wheel shearing in half midway through the shock absorber's travel. The impact also destroyed the nose gear fairing and caused the propeller tips to erode and bend backward due to contact with the runway surface.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot performing a flare at an excessive altitude relative to the aircraft's high descent angle.
- The resulting bounce caused the aircraft to lose its controlled descent profile, leading to the nose-low impact.
- The aircraft sustained important damage to the nose gear and propeller.
- The pilot remained uninjured.