What happened
On 13 April 2012, a Cessna 172S Skyhawk, registration G-SHSP, was involved in an accident during a training flight at Sleap Aerodrome, Shropshire. The flight was being conducted by a student pilot who had just finished a 55-minute dual instruction session. Following the dual flight, the pilot intended to perform solo circuit practice under favorable weather conditions, characterized by calm winds and good visibility.
During the first solo circuit, the pilot began the landing sequence normally. However, just prior to touchdown, the pilot executed a slight over-flare. In an attempt to prevent the aircraft from climbing again, the pilot moved the control column forward. This maneuver caused the aircraft to land on its main wheels first, but the momentum caused the aircraft to rock forward onto its nosewheel. This rocking motion persisted for approximately three cycles before the aircraft eventually settled onto its landing gear.
The investigation
Following the incident, the aircraft was taxied from the runway for inspection. The investigation established that the impact caused significant damage to the propeller, the engine, the engine firewall, and the nose landing gear.