What happened
On 18 January 2004, a Cessna 172P, registration G-BOJR, was conducting a training flight at Exeter Airport, Devon. After completing a solo flight, the student pilot entered the circuit and performed an orbit on the final approach to permit a preceding aircraft to clear the runway. The approach proceeded normally until the moment of touchdown.
Upon landing, the aircraft's nose suddenly pitched downward. The pilot attempted to maintain control, but the aircraft bounced twice before finally settling on the runway. During this sequence, the pilot lost the ability to steer the aircraft, causing it to veer toward the left side of the runway. The aircraft eventually came to a stop on the paved surface near the edge of the runway. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation, informed by the pilot's report and eyewitness testimony, examined the mechanical state of the aircraft and the sequence of the landing. Investigators noted that an eyewitness observed the same two bounces described by the pilot, specifically noting that the aircraft eventually landed on its nosewheel.
Physical examination of the aircraft revealed damage to the propeller tips, the aircraft bulkhead, the nose leg, and the nose wheel. The investigation determined that the damage to the nose wheel was likely the result of a heavy impact. Specifically, the lateral movement of the wheel during touchdown caused the tyre to break contact with the rim, leading to deflation and the fragmentation of the wheel against the runway surface.