What happened
On December 30, 2021, an Aeroprakt A-22LS, registration LV-S044, was conducting a local training flight at the Coronel Olmedo Aerodrome in Córdoba, Argentina. During the fourth landing attempt on runway 04, the aircraft experienced an abnormal contact with the runway, leading to the structural failure of the nose landing gear. The impact caused the propeller to strike the ground and resulted in significant damage to the aircraft's lower fuselage and nose gear assembly. The pilot, who had no injuries, managed to bring the aircraft to a stop 135 meters from the runway threshold.
Prior to the accident, the pilot had attempted three previous landings. The first attempt resulted in a float, prompting a go-around. Subsequent attempts were characterized by the aircraft bouncing on the runway, alternating contact between the main and nose gear. Video evidence from witnesses confirmed that during the penultimate attempt, the aircraft made five separate contacts with the pavement before the pilot aborted the landing.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence, the pilot's experience, and the airfield configuration. Investigators noted that the runway threshold for runway 04 was displaced by 100 meters due to permanent obstacles, specifically a grove of trees. To clear these trees, the pilot had been performing high-approach patterns.
Analysis of the flight maneuvers revealed that these high approaches increased both the ground speed and the vertical descent rate. During the landing phase, the pilot utilized a late flare technique, pulling back on the controls too abruptly to avoid a premature touchdown. This action increased the angle of attack, causing the wings to lose lift and resulting in a series of bounces. The investigation concluded that the nose gear collapsed because it could no longer withstand the repeated mechanical stresses from the successive impacts during the multiple landing attempts.
Findings
- The accident occurred during the fourth landing attempt following several unsuccessful attempts.
- The pilot performed high-approach patterns to clear trees located in the final approach path.
- Repeated impacts from bouncing on the runway caused the nose gear to fail.
- The landing sequence involved a late flare and rapid control inputs, leading to a loss of lift and subsequent bounces.