What happened
On 14 February 2016, an EV-97 Teameurostar UK, registration G-CEHL, was performing a private local flight departing from Runway 04 at Gloucestershire Airport. At the time of departure, wind conditions were recorded at 050° with a 14-knot sustained speed and gusts reaching 20 knots.
As the pilot applied full power with the aircraft configured for takeoff, the aircraft lifted off at a speed of approximately 55 to 60 mph. The pilot held a flat attitude to allow the aircraft to accelerate. However, at an altitude of roughly 20 to 30 feet, the aircraft experienced a sudden nose-down pitch, causing the nosewheel to contact the runway surface.
Following this initial contact, the aircraft bounced back into the air in a nose-high attitude. The pilot attempted to correct this by applying forward pressure on the control column while maintaining full power. This sequence of bouncing and correction occurred twice more. During the third bounce, the aircraft drifted left off the runway, and upon the fourth bounce, the nose landing gear collapsed. The aircraft eventually came to a stop on the grass. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the flight conditions and the sequence of events leading to the structural failure of the landing gear. The investigation also considered the pilot's flight experience and the environmental factors present during the departure.