Introduction
On May 25, 2023, a Diamond H36 Dimona (registration HA-1216) operated by Aeroklub Kecskéd was involved in a serious incident at Kecskéd Airport (LHKD). The incident occurred at 18:05 local time during a training flight with a student pilot under the supervision of an instructor.
Event Description
During an attempted takeoff from the grass runway 33, the student pilot initiated the takeoff roll. After liftoff, the student noticed abnormal elevator response: the nose pitched up excessively, then dropped sharply as airspeed decreased. The instructor took control but was unable to reduce the descent rate. The aircraft struck the ground from a low altitude at a steep angle. The monocoque main landing gear broke, and the fuselage slid a short distance before stopping within the runway edge markers. No personal injuries were reported. The aircraft sustained substantial structural damage, including the fuselage and tail skin, landing gear, wings, wing attachments, and propeller.
Investigation Findings
The investigation was conducted by the Hungarian Transportation Safety Bureau (KBSZ). The abnormal elevator operation was attributed to improper connection of the elevator push-pull rod during the horizontal stabilizer installation prior to flight. The investigation board identified human factors as the root cause and also noted an additional contributing factor. No safety recommendations were issued.
Probable Cause
The improper connection of the elevator push-pull rod during horizontal stabilizer installation, attributed to human factors.