What happened
On February 12, 2022, at approximately 10:15 local time, a Sonaca S201, registration HB-KGD, was performing a flight training mission under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The aircraft departed from Locarno Airport (LSZL) and was proceeding toward its destination at Lugano-Agno Airport (LSZA).
Upon attempting to land at Lugano-Agno, the aircraft's nose landing gear collapsed. This structural failure caused the aircraft to come to a halt on the runway. There were no injuries reported following the incident, and the aircraft sustained light damage.
The investigation
The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (SUST) initiated an inquiry into the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the gear failure. The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the landing phase at LSZA and the mechanical state of the aircraft's landing gear assembly.