What happened
On February 3, 2008, a Cessna 172R, registration PH-EMK, was performing an overland flight from Koblenz–Winningen Airport in Germany to Maastricht Aachen Airport. During the landing phase on runway 21, the aircraft experienced a series of heavy impacts with the runway. The pilot attempted to compensate for a crosswind, but the aircraft entered a porpoising motion, where the nose wheel and main gear alternately struck the ground. After three distinct impacts, the pilot executed a go-around.
Following the landing, the pilot informed the flight operations staff of the hard landing. However, because no aircraft mechanic was available on-site that day, the staff only left a note requesting an inspection for the following day. Crucially, the aircraft was rented out to another pilot for a flight just ten minutes after the incident, without any formal inspection being performed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the structural damage and the subsequent failure of safety protocols. Investigators examined the pilot's actions during the landing, the communication between the air traffic controller and the flight operations department, and the adequacy of the pre-flight inspection performed by the subsequent renter. The investigation also reviewed the maintenance status of the aircraft and the findings of a mechanic who inspected the plane the following day.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a porpoise landing, characterized by a series of heavy impacts, likely due to improper landing technique or excessive speed during the final approach.
- The pilot failed to take immediate corrective action, such as applying full power, during the initial drop, leading to multiple runway impacts.
- The flight crew did not recognize the severity of the hard landing and failed to perform a thorough post-flight inspection.
- The flight operations staff failed to ground the aircraft, allowing it to be used for another flight despite being alerted to the hard landing by the air traffic controller.
- The subsequent renter performed an incomplete pre-flight inspection, failing to notice damage to the propeller, nose wheel fairing, and fuselage.
- The inspection by a mechanic the following day revealed that the Cessna 172R was no longer airworthy, noting crumpled aluminum skin on the fuselage, damage to the nose wheel fairing, and a propeller that had struck the ground.
Safety action
- The investigation highlighted the critical importance of reporting all potential safety incidents, such as hard landings, to ensure they are properly addressed.
- The incident underscored the necessity of rigorous follow-up procedures by flight operations when a safety concern is raised.
- The findings emphasized that pre-flight inspections must be thorough and capable of detecting structural damage to prevent the use of unairworthy aircraft.