What happened
On December 21, 2023, at approximately 21:30 UTC, a Piper PA-A-38-112 (registration LV-OMR) was performing a local recreational flight departing from the Lincoln aerodrome in Buenos Aires province. During the landing phase, the aircraft experienced an abnormal contact with the grass runway, which resulted in the failure of the nose landing gear.
The impact caused the propeller to strike the ground, leading to a sudden engine stoppage. The aircraft slid approximately four meters along the runway. There were no injuries to the two occupants, who were able to exit the aircraft on their own.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the operational parameters of the landing. The pilot was conducting a landing on runway 14/32, which is a grass strip. The pilot reported performing the approach with flap setting 3 at an indicated airspeed of approximately 80 knots. The pilot noted that the flare maneuver was more prolonged than usual and that the initial touchdown occurred near the middle of the runway length.
Investigators found that after the initial contact, the aircraft experienced ground effect, causing it to float. In an attempt to force the aircraft back onto the runway and reduce lift, the pilot manipulated the controls, which led to a series of three consecutive bounces. The final, most intense bounce caused the nose gear to collapse.
Findings
- The approach speed of 80 knots was 10 knots higher than the recommended landing speed specified in the aircraft's flight manual, which suggests a landing speed of 70 knots.
- This excess speed contributed to a prolonged flare and prevented the aircraft from touching down within the first third of the runway.
- The nose gear failure was the direct result of the structural stress caused by the successive bounces on the runway.