What happened
On March 6, 2021, a Tecnam P9 2 Echo Classic, registration LV-S029, was conducting a general aviation training flight at the San Martín Aerodrome in Mendoza, Argentina. During the landing phase of the flight, the aircraft experienced an abnormal contact with the runway surface. This impact resulted in structural damage to the nose gear cowling.
The investigation
The Argentine Transportation Safety Board (JST) conducted a technical investigation into the incident. The inquiry focused on the circumstances surrounding the landing and the subsequent condition of the aircraft. The investigation confirmed that the event was classified as a simple incident, involving no injuries to the crew or passengers, though the aircraft sustained minor damage.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was an abnormal contact with the runway during the landing sequence.
- The impact was sufficient to cause the breakage of the nose gear cowling.
- The flight was being conducted as part of a training operation under visual meteorological conditions (VMC).