What happened
On April 2, 2005, a student pilot was conducting a VFR navigation flight from Hořovice (LKHV) to Hosín (LKHS), with a planned landing at Jindřichův HradeCT (LKJH). During the approach to runway 07L at LKJH, the Piper PA-28-180, registration OK-SDK, experienced a hard touchdown. The impact caused the aircraft to bounce. As the aircraft lost airspeed and lift, a second hard touchdown occurred, during which the propeller likely struck the runway surface.
Following the second bounce, the student pilot continued the flight as planned toward Hosín. Approximately 5 km from the destination, the pilot noticed vibrations originating from the engine compartment. The aircraft landed safely at LKHS, where the pilot subsequently discovered the damage to the propeller.
The investigation
The ÚZPLN investigation established that the student pilot held a valid PPL student certificate and a valid medical certificate. The aircraft's maintenance had been performed according to manufacturer procedures, and all airworthiness documentation was in order. The investigation confirmed that the technical condition of the aircraft, the weather conditions (CAVOK, light winds), and the aerodrome infrastructure were not contributing factors to the incident. The investigation also noted that the pilot was initially unaware that the propeller had made contact with the runway surface during the sequence of bounces.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was improper piloting technique during landing and an incorrect recovery from the aircraft bounce following the initial hard touchdown.