What happened
On 19 April 2017, a student pilot was conducting solo training flights at Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey. The flight involved performing circuits on the grass runway 08L under favorable meteorological conditions, characterized by good visibility, calm winds, and a temperature of 12°C.
During the final approach of one of these circuits, the Cessna A152 Aerobat, registered G-BOSO, bounced upon contact with the runway. Following this bounce, the aircraft settled in either a level or nose-down attitude. This resulted in the collapse of the nosewheel leg, causing the aircraft to come to rest on its nose and its right wingtip. There were no injuries to the pilot, but the impact caused damage to the propeller, the firewall, and the right wing.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators reviewed the flight circumstances and the pilot's experience, noting that the student pilot had 20 total flying hours, all of which were on this specific aircraft type. The investigation examined the sequence of the landing, specifically the transition from the initial bounce to the nosewheel failure.