What happened
On 26 October 2008, a Cessna 172S Skyhawk, registration G-UFCE, was conducting a training flight near Newtownards, Northern Ireland. During the landing phase, the aircraft encountered gusty weather conditions. Immediately after the initial touchdown, the aircraft became airborne for a second time.
Upon the subsequent landing, the aircraft experienced a heavy impact. This second touchdown caused the nose landing gear tyre to burst and resulted in the propeller striking the ground. The impact also caused structural damage to the engine firewall and the forward section of the fuselage. There were three people on board, including the pilot; no injuries were reported to the crew or the two passengers.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of the landing and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The AAIB reviewed the damage sustained by the aircraft, which included the propeller strike and the damage to the forward fuselage and engine firewall. The investigation also considered the pilot's experience and the impact of the wind conditions on the aircraft's stability during the landing roll.