What happened
On September 5, 1970, a Cessna 150, registration HB-CTO, was participating in a precision landing competition at the Ecuvillens airfield. The pilot, holding a private pilot license with radio telephony extension, was attempting to land on a specific target marked 126 meters past the runway threshold. Weather conditions were favorable, with excellent visibility and winds from 230-250 degrees at 10 knots, though light ground turbulence was present.
During the final approach, the pilot utilized a crabbed technique to compensate for the crosswind component, aligning the aircraft with the runway centerline at an altitude of approximately 5 meters. Realizing the aircraft was trending to overshoot the competition target, the pilot reduced elevator back pressure during the flare. This maneuver resulted in a hard three-point landing followed by an aircraft bounce. In an attempt to manage the aircraft after the bounce, the pilot applied forward elevator pressure, causing the nose wheel to strike the runway with extreme force. This impact caused the nose gear strut to break, leading the aircraft to collapse onto its nose and veer left before coming to a stop approximately 60 meters down the runway.
The investigation
The investigation confirmed that the pilot held a valid license and the Cessna 150 possessed a valid certificate of airworthiness. Investigators found no evidence of mechanical failure or technical defects contributing to the accident. The inquiry focused on the sequence of pilot inputs during the landing phase and the structural response of the landing gear to the impact loads.