What happened
On 15 June 2017, a Dynamic WT9 UK, registration G-WIGS, was conducting a private local area flight in favorable weather conditions. During the return to Bagby Airfield in North Yorkshire, the pilot was notified that winds were blowing from 255º at 19 knots.
To mitigate the effects of wind, the pilot intended to land halfway down the 710 m runway, a technique previously used to reduce turbulence. While the initial stages of the final approach were stable, the aircraft encountered significant turbulence after crossing the runway threshold. This resulted in a hard touchdown on Runway 24. Upon impact, the pilot believed all three wheels hit the grass surface simultaneously. Immediately following this, the nose gear leg collapsed, causing the propeller to strike the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot, and the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and nose gear.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of the landing and the structural failure of the landing gear. It was noted that following the incident, the aircraft underwent repairs which included the installation of a modified nose gear leg featuring a reinforced internal sleeve.