What happened
On 14 January 2014, a Cessna 152, registration G-BYMH, was engaged in a training flight at Stapleford Aerodrome, Essex. The pilot, a student, was performing solo practice of touch-and-go landings following several successful maneuvers alongside an instructor.
During the second approach of the solo session, the aircraft entered a stall several feet above the runway surface because the pilot flared the aircraft too high. This resulted in a very heavy landing that caused the nose landing gear and its mounting structure to buckle. As the gear collapsed, the propeller made contact with the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination of the aircraft revealed damage to the propeller, the engine mount, the nose landing gear, and the surrounding airframe structure. The pilot noted that a sudden loss of confidence or a momentary lapse in concentration may have contributed to the improper flare technique.