What happened
On July 31, 2017, at approximately 18:28 local time, a private Morane-Saulnier MS 505 (registration HB-EJJ) was performing a landing at an unpaved field north of Uessikon, Switzerland. The flight was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) following a departure from Dübendorf. During the short final phase of the approach, while flying in southeasterly direction under calm wind conditions and good visibility, the pilot reduced the engine power to idle prematurely.
This reduction in power caused the aircraft to lose altitude rapidly, dropping approximately five meters before reaching the landing strip. As a result, the main landing gear struck the rising bank of a nearby stream located just before the grass runway. The impact sheared off both main landing gear legs, causing the aircraft to slide on its fuselage for about 15 meters before coming to a halt on the runway. There were no fatalities among the crew or passengers, though the pilot sustained light injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the collision with the terrain. Investigators examined the flight conditions, noting that the weather was clear with no significant wind. The analysis centered on the pilot's management of engine power during the final approach and the physical impact between the landing gear and the rising ground of the stream bank.