Incident Overview
On November 8, 2023, at 21:30 UTC, a Piper PA-A38-112 with registration LV-OLZ was involved in an accident at Aeroclub Casilda in Santa Fe Province, Argentina. The aircraft, owned by Aeroclub Casilda, was conducting a local training flight under visual meteorological conditions. The incident occurred during the fourth landing of the session, resulting in significant damage to the nose landing gear and the propeller.
Operational Context
The pilot, holding a Private Pilot License (PPA) with 40 hours of total flight time, had completed three previous landings without issue. During the final approach, the pilot noted that the airspeed was higher than the established 70-knot landing speed. Upon initial contact with the grass runway, the aircraft bounced. On the second contact, the nose gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to deviate to the left.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the aircraft was airworthy and maintained according to manufacturer standards. The Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) did not activate. Meteorological data indicated clear skies, 15 km visibility, and a wind from 090° at 4 knots. The ANAC Private Pilot Manual notes that excessive approach speed can lead to floating and high flares, often resulting in bounces if not corrected by gradual pitch adjustments.