FINAL REPORT of civil aviation safety investigation CLASSIFICATION Accident Operator Privat Manufacturer TECNAM Aircraft Tecnam P2008-JC Registration country Romania Registration YR-LMP Șirna airfield, Prahova county Location Coordinates: Latitude: 44°47ʹ08ʺN Longitude: 025°59ʹ17ʺE Date and time 31.03.2018 / 18:05 LT (15:05 UTC) No. : A 19 - 12 Date : 13.11.2019 For notifications regarding civil aviation 1-3 Walter Maracineanu Square, 6th floor, accidents and serious incidents: District 1, Bucharest – postal code 010155, Romania Phone: +40 751 192088 (24/7) Phone: +40 21 2220535, Fax: +40 378 107106 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.aias.gov.ro Accident –Tecnam P 2008 – YR-LMP – Șirna – Prahova county – 31.03.2018 – SIAA ACKNOWLEDGMENT This REPORT presents data, analysis, conclusions and recommendations of the civil aviation safety investigation commission appointed by the General Director of AIAS. The civil aviation safety investigation has been conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation (EU) no. 996/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council from 20 October 2010 on the investigation and prevention of accidents and incidents in civil aviation and repealing Directive 94/56/EC, with the provisions of ICAO Annex 13 to the International Civil Aviation Convention signed at Chicago on 7 December 1944, and with the provisions of Government Ordinance no. 26/2009, approved and completed by the Law no. 55/2010, amended and completed by the Government Ordinance no. 17/2018. The objective of the civil aviation safety investigation is to prevent accidents and incidents, by effective determination of facts, causes and circumstances that led to civil aviation occurrences and to issue recommendations for civil aviation safety. The civil aviation safety investigation has not the purpose of establishing guilt, responsibility or legal liability. Consequently, the use of this REPORT for purposes other than those relating to the prevention of civil aviation accidents and incidents may lead to erroneous interpretations. Page 2 of 11 Accident –Tecnam P 2008 – YR-LMP – Șirna – Prahova county – 31.03.2018 – SIAA FINAL REPORT High-altitude recovery at landing Aircraft Tecnam P 2008 / YR-LMP Date and time 31.03.2018 / 18.05 LT (15.05 UTC) Operator Private Flight type Private flight Persons onboard The pilot and one passenger Victims RO.FCL/PPL/...../A valid Damages Substantial damages Location Șirna airfield, Prahova county Coordinates: Latitude: 44°47ʹ08ʺN Longitude: 025°59ʹ17ʺE 1. HISTORY OF OCCURRENCE On 31.03.2018, the Civil Aviation Safety Investigation and Analysis Center– CIAS was notified around 18:30 LT (15:30 UTC) about an accident involving the Tecnam P 2008 aircraft, registered YR-LMP, owned by a private operator, the event occurred in the Șirna airfield, Prahova county. Fig. 1 – Damaged aircraft On 31.03.2018, the pilot took off at around 17.30 LT with the Tecnam P-2008 aircraft, having one passenger on board, during the flight organized on the Șirna airfield, to perform several "TOUCH & GO" runway laps. Șirna airfield has a grassy runway oriented in direction 25/07. At the last runway lap, the pilot aligned for landing on 25º direction. Page 3 of 11 Accident –Tecnam P 2008 – YR-LMP – Șirna – Prahova county – 31.03.2018 – SIAA The approach flight in the landing direction went normal until the start of the recovery, when, having the sun in front (according to the pilot's statement), the pilot did not correctly appreciate the altitude of recovery, performing a high recovery, with the speed decreasing, ending the evolution at a height of 2-3 m (9.84 ft) from the ground. Due to the slow speed and loss of lift, the aircraft reached the critical angle of attack, and made hard contact with the ground, first with the main landing gear and then with the nose landing gear. Because the runaway was soft, at the moment of contact with the ground the nose landing gear sank about 20 cm into the ground (Fig. 2a), which caused it to fold under the plane (Fig. 2b). After the contact with the ground and until full stop, the aircraft ran approximately 30 m (Fig. 2c). During the rolling with the folded nose landing gear the wheel fairing was destroyed, the engine bottom cowling and the underside of the fuselage were damaged and a propeller blade was broken (Fig. 2d). The persons on board the aircraft were not injured. -a- -b- -c- -d- Fig. 2 - The traces left after the landing and the aircraft damages Page 4 of 11 Accident –Tecnam P 2008 – YR-LMP – Șirna – Prahova county – 31.03.2018 – SIAA The aircraft stopped at the coordinate point: Lat. 44⁰47’6.368” N; Long. 025⁰59’13.562” E. 2. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 2.1 Pilot information Pilot Male, 30 years License RO.FCL/PPL..../A, valid Medical certificate Class 1/2/LAPL, valid Flight experience 160 flight hours 2.2 Aircraft information Construzioni Aeronautiche TECNAM S.r.l / Manufacturer and aircraft type Tecnam P2008-JC Series number and year of 1077 / 2017 manufacture State and the registration mark Romania – YR-LMP Owner PRIVATE Total flight hours 100 flight hours Tecnam P2008JC (Fig. 3) is a two-seat, high wing aircraft, equipped with a ROTAX 912S2 engine and with a tricycle landing gear with wheel fairings. The fuselage is made of composite materials, and the wing, the stabilizer, and the flight control surfaces have a metallic structure. The aircraft benefits from a good quality in terms of aerodynamics and flight characteristics, the constructive solution offering very good maneuverability and ease of piloting. Fig. 3 - Tecnam P2008JC aircraft Page 5 of 11 Accident –Tecnam P 2008 – YR-LMP – Șirna – Prahova county – 31.03.2018 – SIAA Max Cruise Speed 222 km/h – 120kts 81 km/h – 44 kts Stall Speed (Flaps Down Power Off) Practical ceiling 4267 m – 14000 ft Take off run 207 m – 679 ft Take off distance 173 m – 568 ft Engine ROTAX 912 S2 Propeller Hoffman, 2 Blade Fix 2.3 Airfield data Șirna airfield is situated on private land, located at 20 km south of Ploiești, being intended exclusively for VFR traffic. The airfield has an elevation of 118.8 m (390 ft) and has a take-off/landing runway with a grassy surface, oriented in the direction 25/07 (250°/070°), with the coordinates 44°47ʹ03.2ʺN and 25°59ʹ02.4ʺ E (Fig. 4). Fig. 4 – Șirna airfield Take-off/landing runway dimensions are as follows: - length 600 m (1968 ft ). - width 45 m (147 ft ). Șirna airfield, according to the provisions of the Romanian Government Decision no. 912 of 25.08.2010, is included in the category of other fields than the certified aerodromes from which take-offs and landings of civil aircraft can be performed. Page 6 of 11 Accident –Tecnam P 2008 – YR-LMP – Șirna – Prahova county – 31.03.2018 – SIAA 2.4 Meteorological conditions At the time of the accident, the weather conditions were: wind from 300° with 4 kt (2m/s), variable between 270° and 350°, temperature 22°C, CAVOK and an atmospheric pressure QNH=1007 mb. Meteorological conditions did not contribute to this accident. 3. ANALYSIS The investigation commission analyzed the flight evolution and parameters from the date of the accident, data recorded by the GARMIN equipment installed on board the aircraft. The last flight on 31.03 2018 was 32 minutes long, during which the aircraft flew a total distance of 46.8 NM, the altitude varying between 1016 ft and 561 ft MSL, and the speed between 84 kt and 45 kt (Fig. 5). Fig. 5 - Flight configuration and parameters The aircraft configuration during the final approach, before starting the recovery for landing, was with the flap completely extended and the engine reduced to the minimum operating mode (according to the pilot's statement). By analyzing the last part of the landing path (0.5 NM) in terms of the aircraft speed, we can observe the continuous decrease of the speed from 68 kts to 44 kts Page 7 of 11 Accident –Tecnam P 2008 – YR-LMP – Șirna – Prahova county – 31.03.2018 – SIAA (speed near the stall speed) at the end of the recovery, the contact with the runway occurring at a speed of 41.6 kt. Regarding the altitude, in the same interval, it can be observed its constant decrease from 680 ft to 561 ft, moment that corresponds to the speed of 44 kts, respectively to the completion of the recovery, the contact with the runway occurring at 556 ft with a speed of 41.6 kt. The completion of the recovery was at a height of 2.5 - 3 m (9.84 ft) above the ground. The aircraft rapid loss of height from 561 ft MSL (time of recovery completion) to 556 ft MSL (time of contact) occurred with a rather rapid decrease in speed from 44 kt to 41.6 kt and the increase of the critical angle of attack, which has determined the hardness of the contact with the runway. In order to avoid hard contact with the ground, the pilot should have performed the maneuvers to correct the high recovery, respectively by pressing the stick and revving the engine in order to increase the engine power and maintain the speed at landing. The difference in value between the altitude recorded at the time of impact, 556 ft, and the aerodrome altitude of 390 ft, is given by the fact that the parameter recording takes into account the standard pressure (1013 mbar) and not the value of the atmospheric pressure at the time of flight (1007 mbar). Fig. 6 – Flight path and parameters at landing Page 8 of 11 Accident –Tecnam P 2008 – YR-LMP – Șirna – Prahova county – 31.03.2018 – SIAA From the ground traces of the propeller blades found by the investigation commission arrived at the accident site, it can be concluded that the aircraft engine was running at the moment of contact with the ground.