What happened
On February 26, 2017, a Diamond DA40 NG, registration HB-SDK, was performing a private VFR flight from Lugano to Samedan. During the landing phase at Samedan Airport, the aircraft experienced a bounced landing. Upon the second contact with the runway, the aircraft underwent a sudden leftward rotation. In an attempt to correct the direction, the pilot applied differential braking, which caused the aircraft to swing to the right before pivoting sharply back to the left. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control, and the aircraft exited the runway boundaries, eventually coming to a stop in a snow-covered field.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the landing roll and the pilot's use of braking techniques. Investigators examined the aircraft's movement following the initial bounce and the subsequent impact of the differential braking on the aircraft's trajectory. The inspection confirmed that the aircraft sustained significant damage to the landing gear and the fuselage.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was the loss of directional control following a bounced landing.
- The application of differential braking contributed to an unstable oscillation, first pulling the aircraft to the right and then sharply to the left.
- The aircraft exited the paved surface and came to rest in an adjacent snow-covered area.
- There were no injuries to the pilot or any third parties involved in the incident.