What happened
On 11 August 2015, a Pulsar, registration G-BUDI, was conducting a private flight at Fairoaks Airport in Surrey. Following a local flight, the pilot performed a successful touch-and-go landing using the main wheels. While flying a subsequent circuit, the pilot attempted a landing by applying up-elevator to keep the nose of the aircraft elevated for as long as possible. As the aircraft slowed down and the nose was gradually lowered onto the runway, the nose landing gear failed. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger on board. The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller tips and a fracture to the nose landing gear fork, but no fire occurred and the occupants were able to exit the aircraft easily.
The investigation
The investigation examined the circumstances of the landing and the mechanical state of the aircraft's landing gear. Investigators analyzed the sequence of the landing maneuver and the physical damage sustained by the airframe. The inspection of the nose landing gear assembly revealed that the casting of the nose leg had suffered a fracture.