What happened
On 30 September 2014, a Eurostar EV-97, registration G-CEND, was engaged in a training flight at Sywell Aerodrome, Northamptonshire. The student pilot intended to perform one hour of circuit practice using Runway 23. The session began with a dual flight alongside an instructor, followed by solo operations.
While the first two solo circuits were completed without issue, an incident occurred during the fourth circuit. Although the student pilot perceived the approach as normal, the aircraft experienced three successive bounces upon touchdown. Following these bounces, the aircraft came to a stop on the left side of the runway. The student subsequently taxied the aircraft back to the flight school hangar, where damage was identified to the firewall, the lower fuselage, and the left wingtip.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence and the actions taken by the student pilot during the unstable landing. An instructor observing the flight noted that the approach for the fourth circuit was characterized by excessive speed and a flat descent profile.
It was established that following the initial bounce, the student pilot moved the control column forward rather than applying power to initiate a go-around. During this sequence, the instructor witnessed the left wingtip making contact with the ground. Both the student pilot and the instructor acknowledged that a go-around should have been executed immediately after the first bounce occurred.