What happened
On 22 January 2019, a Reims Cessna F152, registration G-OLEE, was involved in an accident during a private circuit practice flight at Fairoaks Airport. The weather conditions were reported as clear with good visibility and calm winds. After completing an initial circuit, the pilot attempted a touch-and-go landing on Runway 24.
During the landing flare, the aircraft's main wheels made contact with the runway, but the aircraft immediately bounced. A subsequent, more significant bounce occurred, during which a gust of wind lifted the aircraft and caused it to drift toward the left side of the runway. The aircraft then struck the ground heavily on its nose landing gear, causing the gear to partially collapse. As the aircraft slid toward the edge of the runway, the nosewheel entered soft ground, causing the aircraft to become inverted. The pilot sustained minor injuries and was assisted from the wreckage by the airport's fire and rescue service.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of the landing and the aircraft's behavior during the bounces. Observations from the airport tower indicated that no attempt to perform a go-around was made following the initial or the second bounce. The pilot noted that while he could have applied full throttle to initiate a go-around, he was uncertain of the potential effectiveness of such a maneuver because the airspeed had dropped significantly during the second bounce.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a series of bounces during the landing phase.
- A gust of wind contributed to the aircraft deviating toward the left side of the runway.
- The nose landing gear partially collapsed due to a heavy impact during the landing sequence.
- The aircraft became inverted after the nosewheel transitioned from the runway onto soft ground.