Occurrence
On April 25, 2010, at 13:38 UTC, a Cessna 172 SP with registration OM-AGT conducted a navigation flight from and to Boleráz Airport (LZTR). During the landing phase on the grass runway, the aircraft bounced after touchdown due to a runway unevenness. The pilot had been landing at a higher speed. The aircraft subsequently touched down hard on all three wheels. After the initial hard landing, the aircraft bounced three more times and veered off the runway. The pilot applied brakes and taxied the aircraft to the hangar. A maintenance technician inspected the aircraft and found damage to the forward bulkhead separating the engine compartment from the cabin in the area of the nose gear attachment. No occupants were injured.
Aircraft and Crew
The aircraft was a Cessna 172 SP, serial number 17259836, manufactured in 2005, powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine. The pilot, a 37-year-old Slovak citizen, held a Private Pilot License (PPL(A)) with a SEP(L) rating valid until November 30, 2010, and a Class 2 medical certificate valid until February 5, 2012. The pilot had a total flight experience of 141 hours and 35 minutes. In the 90 days prior, the pilot had logged 8 hours and 6 minutes, including 2 hours and 12 minutes on the Cessna 172. On the accident day, the pilot had flown 1 hour and 43 minutes.
Analysis and Findings
The analysis determined that the pilot landed at a higher speed than appropriate. The uneven terrain caused the aircraft to bounce and become airborne again. The pilot attempted to correct by pushing the control yoke forward but did not properly manage the situation, resulting in a hard landing on the nose gear. This repeated three times, leading to overload and damage to the nose gear attachment area. No injuries occurred. The aircraft suffered minor damage. The pilot held valid qualifications for the flight, and the aircraft was airworthy before the flight.
Probable Cause
The official investigation stated the probable cause as: the bounce of the aircraft on the runway at LZTR with subsequent hard landings on the nose gear, resulting in its damage; incorrect approach planning with higher landing speed; and failure to control the aircraft after the bounce and veering off the runway by the pilot.