History of Flight
On 1 November 2014, a Cessna 172L aircraft, registration AP-BEJ, operated by M/s Rawalpindi Flying Club, was conducting a scheduled training flight at Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad. The aircraft performed two circuits with uneventful touch-and-go landings. After the third touch-and-go landing at approximately 0439 UTC, the aircraft climbed to about 100 feet above ground level and then made a crash landing on the right side of the fair weather strip of Runway 30. The flight encountered wake turbulence from a preceding aircraft.
Injuries to Persons
The flight instructor and one student pilot, occupying the front seats, received minor injuries. The other student pilot, seated in the rear, remained uninjured.
Damage to Aircraft
The wings, tail section, firewall, and instrument panel were substantially damaged and distorted. The nose landing gear and propeller separated from the aircraft. The engine mount was dislodged from its position.
Personnel Information
The flight crew consisted of one flight instructor and two student pilots. The flight instructor held a Commercial Pilot License, with a total flying experience of 478 hours, including 245 hours of instructional flying. The student pilot in the front seat had 79 hours 35 minutes of total flying experience. Both crew members held valid licenses and medical certificates and were within flight duty time limitations.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Cessna 172L model, manufactured in 1971, with serial number 17259551. It had accumulated 8,119 hours 40 minutes since new as of 30 October 2014. The engine was a Lycoming O-320 E2D, with a time since overhaul of 2,091 hours 40 minutes. The propeller was a McCauley fixed-pitch, two-blade model, last overhauled on 3 October 2014, with 93 hours 10 minutes since overhaul.
Meteorological Information
At 0400 UTC, the weather at the airport included visibility of 4 kilometers in haze, wind from northeast at 4 knots, temperature 17°C, dew point 10°C, QNH 1018.9 hPa, and relative humidity 63%. At 0500 UTC, conditions were similar with wind from southeast at 4 knots.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The initial ground contact was shallow, with the extreme end of the tail striking first. The propeller contacted the ground about 40 feet from the initial contact point. The main structure of the aircraft remained intact but came to rest 130 feet from the initial contact point. The nose landing gear was found 140 feet ahead of the initial contact point.
Analysis
Operational analysis considered all available evidence, including wreckage examination, witness statements, weather records, and radar/ATC recordings. The investigation determined that the accident was caused by wake turbulence from a preceding aircraft that was not properly managed by the pilot.
Conclusion
Cause of Occurrence
The cause of the accident was attributed to the wake turbulence of the preceding aircraft, which was not properly managed by the pilot.