What happened
The ANSV report details several distinct aviation incidents involving various aircraft types across Italy:
- Piper PA-34-200, registration I-MIMU: During a training flight at Palermo Punta Raisi, the nose gear failed to lock in the extended position. Despite visual confirmation from the tower, the nose gear retracted upon touchdown, causing the aircraft to slide on its nose for approximately 100 meters. There were no fatalities.
- Cessna 150, registration I-FFSH: During a flight from Verona to Rimini, the pilot continued the flight despite being warned of expiring aeronautical charts. The aircraft eventually ran out of fuel, forcing an emergency landing in a field near Santa Maria Nuova di Bertinoro. The aircraft sustained extensive damage, but the pilot was uninjured.
- Grob Twin Astir, registration I-IVAS: While flying near Monte Marzola, the glider suddenly lost altitude after separating from a tow plane, impacting a wooded area. The two occupants sustained light injuries, though the glider was destroyed.
- Yak 50, registration LY-AKU: During an approach at Florence Peretola, the left main gear failed to lock. The pilot performed a precautionary landing, primarily on the right gear. The left wing made contact with the ground, causing damage to the aileron.
- Socata TB 9, registration I-IAEO: During a flight to Sabaudia, the pilot overran the grass runway, impacting trees beyond the threshold. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft suffered extensive damage.
- Piper PA-28-140, registration I-ICES: During a touch-and-go maneuver at Biella Cerrione, a heavy landing triggered a series of increasingly violent bounces. This led to the failure of the nose gear and the aircraft veering off the runway. The student pilot was uninjured.
The investigation
The ANSV examined technical components, including the landing gear assemblies of the I-MIMU and LY-AKU aircraft. For the I-MIMU Piper, investigators found that a broken steering flange caused the extension pin to dislodge from its guide. For the LY-AKU Yak, a worn seal in the hydraulic piston prevented the gear from locking. Flight logs and maintenance records were also reviewed for the I-FFSH and I-ICES incidents to assess pilot experience and flight planning.