Aero SP Z O O (Gobosh) AT-4 LSA near Hemet, CA — 2008-07-20

Final reportLAX08LA236

Date: 2008-07-20
Location: Hemet, CA, USA
Airport: HMT
Aircraft: Aero SP Z O O (Gobosh) AT-4 LSA
Registration: N706GB
Category: Airplane
Highest injury: None
Fatalities: 0
Phase of flight: Landing

Probable cause

The student pilot's improper landing flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot had performed two landings prior to the accident without incident. The pilot noted that while on final approach for the accident landing there was a stronger than expected headwind and he had to add power to compensate. He then reduced the power to idle in preparation for landing. He leveled the airplane and applied back-pressure on the control stick and waited for the airplane to stall prior to touchdown. He said that at that point, the airplane seemed to "run out of air and dropped," landing hard on the runway. The airplane bounced, and began to porpoise down the runway. On the second bounce, the airplane yawed to the left and, as it impacted the runway again, the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded to the left of the runway before coming to a stop upright on the side of the runway. The pilot reported that there were no preexisting mechanical problems with the airplane.