What happened
On 18 May 2017, a Gulfstream AA-5B Tiger, registration G-BOZZ, was conducting a private flight when it encountered difficulties during the landing phase at Weston-on-the-Green, Bicester. The pilot was performing a standard approach to Runway 19, configuring the aircraft with full flaps at a normal approach speed.
During the flare, the aircraft's wheels made contact with the grass runway surface. The pilot encountered a bump on the uneven terrain, which caused the aircraft to bounce back into the air. While the pilot attempted to maintain the flare to allow the aircraft to settle, the nose of the plane dropped approximately 10 metres into the ground roll. This resulted in the propeller striking the ground.
There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board. The impact caused damage to the propeller blades, engine shock-loading, and a bent nose landing gear tube.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the state of the aircraft following the event and reviewed the circumstances of the landing. The inspection of the aircraft confirmed that the nose landing gear leg had been bent rearwards as a result of the impact. The investigation also considered the condition of the runway surface at the time of the incident.