Accident Overview
On 28 October 2014, at 1340 hrs, a Reims Cessna F152, registration G-CHIK, sustained substantial damage during a landing accident at Earls Colne Airfield, Essex. The aircraft was on a solo training flight. The single occupant, a 47-year-old student pilot with 35 hours of flying experience (all on type), was uninjured.
Sequence of Events
The pilot was conducting a solo navigation exercise from Stapleford to Earls Colne. As the flight progressed, radio communications became progressively more difficult. When attempting to contact Earls Colne, the radio appeared to have failed. The pilot orbited overhead Earls Colne and attempted to resolve the issue through switch selections, but without success. She then selected the radio failure code on the transponder and waited ten minutes for the squawk to be observed and for ATC to communicate her presence to Earls Colne by telephone. After this, she joined the circuit to land.
The first approach to Runway 24 was slightly high and fast, resulting in a go-around. On the second approach, a gust of wind caused the aircraft to roll to the right close to the ground. This precipitated a loss of control, and the aircraft impacted hard on the nose landing gear, which collapsed. Airfield staff observing the windsock estimated the wind was from 190° at 12 kt.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft, a 1979 Reims Cessna F152 (serial no: 1628), was powered by one Lycoming O-235-L2C piston engine. It was equipped with two communications radios, but they were of different design. The pilot had not been shown how to use the second radio and was unaware it was a communication radio.
The pilot held a student licence and had accumulated 35 hours of flying experience, all on type, with 21 hours in the last 90 days and 3 hours in the last 28 days.
Damage
The aircraft sustained substantial damage and was assessed as beyond economic repair.