What happened
On June 28, 1967, a Piper J3C, registration HB-OVF, was involved in an accident during a solo flight at the Lausanne aerodrome. The aircraft was being operated by a student pilot who was performing their second solo landing sequence. During the approach, the pilot executed a flare that was too high, causing the aircraft to descend heavily onto its landing gear.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanics of the landing and the subsequent loss of control. It was established that the impact of the heavy landing caused the right wheel to detach from the aircraft. This mechanical failure led to an immediate and abrupt braking effect on the remaining landing gear.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an improperly executed flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
- The impact of the landing caused the loss of the right wheel.
- The sudden deceleration caused by the loss of the wheel led to the aircraft performing a nose-over (capotage).