Accident Summary
On 8 August 2010 at approximately 1420 hours UTC, a Cessna 172s Skyhawk, registration G-GEHL, experienced a hard landing during an approach to Runway 03 at White Waltham Airfield, Berkshire. The aircraft was on a private flight with only the pilot on board. The pilot was not injured, but the fuselage floor area was damaged.
Flight Details
The pilot, aged 53, held a National Private Pilot’s Licence and had accumulated 160 flying hours, including 13 hours on the Cessna 172 type. In the 90 days preceding the accident, the pilot flew 8 hours, with 4 hours in the last 28 days.
Sequence of Events
After performing an overhead join, the aircraft commenced an approach to Runway 03. The reported wind conditions were from directions between 020º and 030º at 10 knots. During the flare, the pilot reported encountering a “sudden updraft / windshear,” which resulted in a rapid roll to the right. The pilot corrected the roll, but the aircraft touched down heavily at the intersection of Runway 03 and Runway 29. The aircraft then bounced two further times before the pilot regained control. The pilot was wearing a lap and diagonal harness and was uninjured.
Damage and Inspection
A subsequent inspection of the area at the intersection of Runway 03 and Runway 29 revealed that the grass surface was “very, very bumpy and firm.” The only damage noted was to the fuselage floor area of the aircraft.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 172s Skyhawk (serial number not specified) was manufactured in 1999 and powered by a single Lycoming IO-360-L2A piston engine. The aircraft was under private operation at the time of the accident.