Investigation number
198502558
Occurrence date
Location
Bankstown
Report release date
Report status
Final
Investigation type
Occurrence Investigation
Investigation status
Completed
Aviation occurrence category
Hard landing
Occurrence class
Accident
Highest injury level
None

The aircraft was being flown for the first time. The pilot stated that after take-off the aircraft felt very nose heavy and that he had difficulty in maintaining a nose-up attitude after lift-off. When he attempted to reset the the elevator trim the friction nut broke. The back pressure that he was required to hold with the control column reduced as the airspeed increased. During the subsequent approach the pilot found he had insufficient elevator control available to flare the aircraft. On touchdown the aircraft bounced and a go-around was carried out. The pilot made several other landing attempts but on each occasion the aircraft bounced. On the final attempt the aircraft bounced a number of times before the right canard collapsed and the aircraft ran off the runway. The aircraft had been correctly loaded, with the centre of gravity 14 aft of the forward limit. The angles of incidence on the wing and the canard were found to be about 0.3 degrees outside the design specifications. It was apparent that there was a critical relationship between these angles, the centre of gravity position and the amount of pitch control available. The aircraft manufacturer subsequently recommended a modification to the control system.

Aircraft Details
Manufacturer
Quickie Aircraft Corporation
Model
Q200
Registration
VH-FMV
Operation type
Private
Departure point
Bankstown NSW
Departure time
N/K
Destination
Bankstown NSW
Damage
Substantial