Incident
On 15 July 2014 at 1508 UTC, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, registration G-BPIK, experienced a landing accident on Runway 25 at Carlisle Airport in Cumbria. The aircraft was on a training flight, serving as the qualifying cross-country navigation for the student pilot's Private Pilot's Licence. Weather conditions were reported as good.
Flight Details
The student pilot had returned to Carlisle from Newcastle Airport. During the approach, the landing was described as normal. However, during the landing flare, the student left the flare too late, causing the aircraft to bounce back into the air. The student attempted to control the bounce, but upon a second, firmer landing, the nose landing gear collapsed. The aircraft then veered off the runway and came to rest on the grass.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a 1982 Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk (serial number 38-82A0028) powered by a single Lycoming O-235-L2C piston engine. The student pilot, aged 29, held a student licence and had 44 hours of total flying experience, all on type, with 24 hours in the last 90 days and 4 hours in the last 28 days. He was the sole occupant, with no passengers on board.
Aftermath
After the aircraft came to a stop, the uninjured pilot shut down the engine and vacated the aircraft normally. The accident resulted in damage to the nose leg, engine cowlings, lower fuselage, propeller, engine, windscreen, and tail. Both the student and his instructor later agreed that initiating a go-around after the initial bounce would have been a safer course of action.