What happened
On 15 July 2014, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, registration G-BPIK, was involved in an accident during a training flight at Carlisle Airport, Cumbria. The flight, which was a qualifying cross-country navigation exercise for a Private Pilot’s Licence, had traveled from Newcastle Airport to Carlisle.
While the weather conditions were favorable and the approach to runway 25 was initially routine, the aircraft experienced a bounce during the landing phase. The student pilot delayed the flare, causing the aircraft to lift back into the air. In an attempt to manage the subsequent landing, a second, more forceful touchdown occurred. This impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse, forcing the aircraft to veer off the runway and come to a stop on the grass. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation, based on the accident report submitted by the pilot, examined the sequence of the landing and the mechanical failure of the gear. The damage sustained by the Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk was extensive, affecting the engine cowlings, propeller, engine, windscreen, tail, and the lower fuselage, alongside the collapsed nose leg.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the delayed flare during the landing sequence, which resulted in an initial bounce.
- The subsequent second landing was too firm, leading to the structural failure of the nose landing gear.
- It was noted that performing a go-around following the initial bounce would have been a safer alternative to attempting to continue the landing.