What happened
On 16 August 1998, a Cessna 152, registration G-BOGG, was performing a private flight at Compton Abbas, Wiltshire. During the landing phase on Runway 26, the aircraft was operating in good visibility with light winds. As the pilot initiated the flare, the sun's position caused significant glare, momentarily blinding the commander.
In an attempt to recover, the pilot initiated a go-around procedure. However, before the maneuver could be fully established, the aircraft lost altitude and the nose landing gear collapsed. The impact caused the aircraft to roll to the left and then to the right, resulting in substantial damage to the nose landing gear, the propeller, and both wingtips. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry examined the environmental conditions and the pilot's actions during the critical moments of the approach. The pilot's flying experience at the time of the accident was noted as 51 total hours, with 16 hours specifically on this aircraft type.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the pilot being blinded by the sun during the flare.
- The pilot was not wearing sunglasses during the flight, which deviated from his usual practice.
- The sudden loss of visual reference led to an incomplete go-around procedure and the subsequent collapse of the nose landing gear.