What happened
On 15 March 2006, a Cessna 152, registration G-BPBG, was engaged in a solo circuit consolidation exercise at Tatenhill Airfield, Staffordshire. The flight was being conducted by a student pilot. During the second circuit, while approaching for a touch-and-go maneuver on Runway 08, the aircraft bounced off the asphalt surface upon touchdown.
Following this bounce, the pilot attempted to manage the aircraft's attitude. The pilot initially applied forward pressure to the control column before applying back pressure just before the second contact with the ground. This corrective action proved insufficient to prevent the aircraft from striking the runway on its nosewheel. As a result, the noseleg collapsed, causing damage to the propeller and resulting in a shockload to the engine. The pilot was able to steer the aircraft off the runway to the left and vacate the active surface via the normal exit before shutting down the engine.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The AAIB examined the sequence of the landing and the pilot's control inputs. It was noted that the surface wind at the time was 12 knots from 070°. The investigation also considered the pilot's experience level, noting the commander was a student pilot with 33 total flying hours.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a bounce on the runway surface during the landing phase.
- The pilot's application of forward pressure on the control column prior to the second touchdown contributed to the nosewheel striking the ground.
- The noseleg collapse was the primary cause of the structural and engine damage.