What happened
The pilot, who possessed approximately 20 hours of flight time in the specific aircraft model, attempted to land the aircraft. During the touchdown phase, the front tire failed and blew out. In response to this mechanical issue, the pilot applied significant back pressure to pull up on the controls. This input caused the aircraft to balloon upward momentarily before descending again.
The subsequent descent resulted in a very hard impact with the nose wheel. Observations from control tower personnel indicated that the aircraft approached the runway in a nose-low attitude. There was no apparent attempt by the pilot to flare for landing prior to the initial touchdown, which contributed to the severity of the final impact.
The investigation
Investigation into the sequence of events focused on the pilot's actions and the mechanical state of the landing gear. The primary finding was the failure of the front tire upon landing. The subsequent ballooning and hard nose wheel contact were direct results of the pilot's reaction to the tire failure combined with a lack of proper flare technique during the initial approach.
Findings
The accident was primarily attributed to the pilot's inadequate handling of the aircraft during the landing phase. Key contributing factors included:
- 20 hours flight time in the subject model, indicating limited experience.
- Failure to execute a proper flare for landing.
- Improper control input following the front tire blowout, leading to a nose gear impact.
- The aircraft approached the runway in an inappropriate nose-low attitude.