What happened
On June 10, 2023, at 15:30 UTC, an Aero Boero 115, registration LV-LPI, was performing a general aviation training flight from Zárate to the Isla Martín García aerodrome in Buenos Aires province. During the landing phase on runway 17, the aircraft experienced an abnormal contact with the runway, causing the plane to bounce upon initial touchdown.
Following a second contact with the pavement, the pilot lost directional control. The aircraft veered off the left side of the runway and entered a sharp 9-degree turn. During this maneuver, the left main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft came to a stop approximately 15 meters from the runway centerline. The incident resulted in no injuries to the pilot, but the aircraft sustained significant damage to the left wingtip and the left main landing gear.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's experience and the aircraft's technical status. At the time of the accident, the pilot held a private pilot license with 38 total flight hours. Notably, the pilot had only 3.5 hours of experience and 15 landings specifically in the Aero Boero 115, all completed during a recent transition training period. Prior to this, the pilot's experience was exclusively in tricycle-gear aircraft, specifically Cessna 152 and Cessna 172 models.
The aircraft, LV-LPI, had a total time of 4,650 hours and was compliant with its maintenance schedule, with its last annual inspection completed in December 2022. Meteorological data indicated a light crosswind of 5 knots from 270 degrees, with no other significant weather phenomena reported.
Findings
- The pilot was operating the Aero Boero 115 for the first time following the completion of transition training.
- The pilot's previous flight experience was limited to tricycle-gear aircraft, which possess different handling characteristics than the taildragger configuration of the involved aircraft.
- Excessive use of rudder pedals and brakes during the landing roll, influenced by the presence of a crosswind, likely caused the loss of directional control.
- The attempt to correct the leftward veer with a rightward turn led to the sudden 90-degree rotation and the subsequent collapse of the left landing gear.