What happened
On November 9, 2021, a Cessna A152, registration LV-AMI, was engaged in a general aviation flight instruction session. The flight originated from Morón aerodrome and proceeded to the General Rodríguez aerodrome in Buenos Aires province. After performing several takeoff and landing practices with an instructor, the student pilot—who had accumulated 34 flight hours—commenced his first solo flight.
During the landing phase on runway 17, the aircraft experienced an abnormal runway contact. Following the initial touchdown near the runway threshold, the aircraft bounced. During this bounce, the aircraft lifted slightly before the pilot instinctively pushed the nose down. This maneuver caused the nose gear and propeller to strike the ground, leading to the collapse of the nose gear, propeller deformation, and an abrupt engine stoppage. The aircraft came to rest approximately 120 meters from the initial contact point. The student pilot was the sole occupant and sustained no injuries.
The investigation
The JST investigation utilized hangar surveillance footage to reconstruct the sequence of events. The video confirmed that the aircraft bounced upon initial contact and subsequently entered a nose-down attitude. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's actions, noting that the approach was performed without the use of flaps. The investigators examined the aircraft's damage, which was consistent with a heavy or rough landing.
Findings
- The aircraft was configured for landing without flaps, which likely resulted in a higher descent rate.
- The high descent rate contributed to a runway bounce upon initial contact.
- The student pilot failed to execute an appropriate recovery maneuver or a go-around (escape) following the bounce.
- The pilot's instinctive nose-down input directly caused the nose gear and propeller to impact the runway surface.
Safety action
- The investigation highlights the necessity for pilots to understand the factors contributing to abnormal runway contacts and to be trained in specific recovery techniques, including the decision-making process for executing a go-around after a bounce.