What happened
On June 26, 2004, a Scheibe SF 25C powered glider, registration PH-1271, was completing a private cross-country flight from Genk Zwartberg in Belgium to Midden-Zeeland Airfield. The flight proceeded normally through the circuit and approach phases. However, during the landing rollout, the pilot deployed the spoilers while the aircraft was still maintaining a relatively high ground speed.
As the aircraft decelerated, the nose wheel encountered an uneven section of the grass runway, causing the aircraft to lift off the ground momentarily. Witnesses observed the aircraft bouncing several times. During these oscillations, the nose gear struck the ground with enough force to break off, subsequently causing the propeller to strike the surface and shatter. The aircraft eventually came to a halt with no injuries to the two occupants, though the aircraft sustained significant damage, including a broken nose gear, a destroyed propeller, and damage to the fuselage skin.
The investigation
The investigation was conducted by the predecessor to the Dutch Safety Board. Because investigators did not attend the scene in person, the findings were reconstructed based on data and information provided by the parties involved in the occurrence.