What happened
On 16 August 2017, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, registration G-CPSS, was conducting a non-commercial flight as part of a sport parachute club's operations. The aircraft was on its fifth sortie of the day, tasked with dropping parachutists over Netheravon Airfield from altitudes reaching 13,000 ft.
During the final approach to Runway 22, the aircraft was stabilized with flap 30, an airspeed of 85 kt, and propeller RPM at maximum. While on short finals at an altitude of approximately 150 to 200 ft, the pilot experienced a sudden loss of altitude, describing a sensation similar to windshear. In an attempt to recover from this descent, the pilot applied back pressure, but the aircraft subsequently made a heavy landing in a flat, nose-down attitude.
Following the impact, the aircraft skidded across the grass runway, veered to the right, and eventually came to a stop beside the runway. The impact resulted in damage to the propeller, propeller hub, and nosewheel. The pilot, who sustained no injuries, successfully isolated the fuel and electrical systems before exiting the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the circumstances of the touchdown and the subsequent mechanical failure. An internal review conducted by the operator determined that the aircraft had actually touched down in the undershoot area of the runway. It was concluded that the nose landing gear likely failed after the aircraft encountered a shallow drainage ditch during the landing roll.