What happened
On 21 May 2019, a Vans RV-7A, registration G-ELVN, was performing a private flight when it encountered a bird strike during its approach to Drayton St Leonard Airfield in Oxfordshire. While flying at approximately 20 ft above ground level, the aircraft struck a medium-sized bird on the approach to grass Runway 24. The impact caused the aircraft to pitch up and to the left, though the pilot managed to correct the flightpath and realign with the runway centerline.
With roughly 300 metres of runway remaining, the aircraft touched down but bounced back into the air. Fearing that the bird strike might have caused structural or mechanical damage, the pilot elected to continue the landing rather than performing a go-around. During the second touchdown, the aircraft struck the ground with significant force, resulting in the collapse of the nose gear. The aircraft came to a halt, and the pilot was able to exit the cockpit without assistance.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events following the bird strike and the subsequent landing attempt. The AAIB established that the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and the engine was shock-loaded due to the impact of the heavy landing. There were no injuries to the pilot during the incident.