What happened
On 14 August 2003, a GYR-80-160 (registration HB-DCM) was performing a landing approach at Fertoszentmiklos (LHFM). During the hovering phase of the final glide, the aircraft was positioned too high above the runway. As the aircraft attempted to decelerate, it entered a stall condition, causing it to rebound off the runway surface.
During the subsequent sequence of events, the aircraft skidded across the runway. The aircraft's nose and left wing tip made contact with the ground, leading to a slide on its belly. While there were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, the impact caused substantial damage to the aircraft, estimated at approximately 75% of its value. The impact was severe enough to detach the nose gear and the left aileron, with further damage sustained by the propeller, fuselage, and wings.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot was flying with an expired type rating for this specific aircraft, and had requested the passenger—who held a valid license—to act as the pilot for the flight. During the landing maneuver, the investigation found that the pilot failed to implement necessary corrections following the initial rebound.
As the aircraft lost speed and began to skid, the passenger attempted to intervene by applying full power and taking control of the stick. The investigation examined the sequence of the handover and the aerodynamic state of the aircraft during the skid and subsequent wing strike.