Loss of control — Piper PA-28 Cherokee, training flight

Summary

A student pilot operating solo experienced loss of control during a touch-and-go landing exercise at Moorabbin Airport. On the third touch-and-go, the aircraft bounced and the student applied excessive back pressure, causing the aircraft to enter a stall at low altitude. The aircraft struck the ground heavily on the runway centreline. The student pilot sustained minor injuries; the aircraft sustained substantial structural damage.

Investigation Findings (4)

1. 01Student pilot had accumulated 32 hours at the time of the accident, which met the minimum requirements for solo flight.
2. 02The student had received recent training on bounce recovery procedures but applied incorrect technique.
3. 03The supervising instructor was monitoring from the tower and was unable to intervene.
4. 04Melbourne Aero Club implemented additional simulator-based bounce recovery training as a prerequisite for solo circuits.