What happened
On July 9, 2020, a solo student pilot was performing a landing in a MANTA 503 weight shift control aircraft, registration N980WC, at Ramona, CA. During the final approach, the pilot encountered increasing turbulence accompanied by a moderate crosswind. In an effort to compensate for the turbulence, the pilot increased the approach speed.
Upon initial touchdown, the aircraft bounced approximately 3 feet. While attempting to manage the turbulence and crosswind, the pilot forced the aircraft back down. During the second touchdown, the aircraft was not aligned with the runway heading, causing the nose wheel to dig into the surface. This resulted in a nose-over accident. The pilot sustained one minor injury and was not killed.
The investigation
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions involving the engine or airframe prior to the impact that would have prevented normal operation. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wing.