What happened
On 19 March 1999, a Cessna 152, registration G-BXJM, was performing a solo training flight at Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey. The student pilot had recently finished a series of ten solo circuits and was in the process of approaching for a landing.
While the initial touchdown appeared to be standard, the aircraft began to tilt forward onto its front cowling as it rolled along the runway. This caused the aircraft to veer toward the right side of the runway before coming to a complete stop. Following the incident, the pilot notified Air Traffic Control, shut off the fuel and electrical systems, and exited the aircraft safely. Although the aerodrome fire tender arrived promptly, no fire occurred following the impact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the structural integrity of the nose landing gear. An external inspection of the Cessna 152 revealed that the nose gear had bent backward, which subsequently caused the propeller to strike the runway surface. The damage to the nose landing gear and the propeller was classified as substantial.
During the inquiry, the pilot suggested that the landing impact might not have been severe enough to cause a collapse and noted the possibility that the gear might have been previously compromised. However, a detailed engineering inspection and subsequent repair of the nose landing gear found no evidence of prior damage or fatigue. The investigation established that the nose landing gear had bent at its upper mounting during the accident.