What happened
On July 25, 1973, a student pilot was conducting solo landing practice at the Wangen-Lachen airfield in Switzerland. The primary objective of the flight was to practice landings without engine assistance. Due to the closure of the Speck-Fehraltorf airfield, the flight originated from Zurich. While light rain was present, the weather was deemed sufficient for the training mission.
The student pilot was performing touch-and-go maneuvers under the supervision of an instructor positioned at the 150-meter mark of the left runway edge. During the third approach, the student flew a wide pattern, prompting the instructor to order another touch-and-go. During the final approach, the student deployed flaps to approximately 20 degrees. The Cessna 150, registration HB-CUA, touched down shortly after the 150-meter mark with significant speed.
Instead of executing a go-around, the pilot responded to an instructor's command to apply power by increasing engine output, but then immediately attempted to force the aircraft back down to the runway to complete a full-stop landing. This maneuver led to the aircraft overrunning the 500-meter runway, exiting the paved surface after the taxiway junction, and flipping over approximately 30 meters beyond the runway end. The aircraft ended up upside down in the adjacent lake, with the propeller becoming entangled in the shoreline vegetation.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's experience, the aircraft's airworthiness, and the environmental conditions. The student pilot had approximately 16 hours of total flight time. The aircraft, HB-CUA, was found to be airworthy with no pre-existing mechanical defects. Weather conditions at the time included visibility between 5 and 10 km and intermittent moderate to heavy rain, with light winds of approximately 5 knots.
Findings
- The student pilot deviated from the original training objective by deciding to attempt a full-stop landing without clear justification.
- The instructor's instructions during the landing phase were not sufficiently precise, which contributed to the pilot's confusion.
- The pilot failed to consistently follow the instructor's specific orders regarding the go-around procedure.
Safety action
No specific safety recommendations were recorded in the final report.