What happened
On 11 August 1999, a Cessna 152, registration G-BGAA, was involved in a landing accident at RAF Henlow, Bedfordshire. During a private flight, the pilot executed a 180-degree turn before attempting to land. Upon touchdown, the aircraft bounced, which subsequently led to the collapse of the nose landing gear. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft without any injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the landing and the mechanical failure of the gear. The investigation established that the aircraft's nose landing gear failed specifically due to the impact forces generated by the bounce. The pilot's recent flying experience was also noted, as the pilot had only completed two hours of flight time in the preceding 90 days, with 77 of their total 85 hours of experience being on this specific aircraft type.