What happened
On 30 May 1999, a Cessna 182P, registration G-BXEZ, was conducting a private flight near Octon, East Yorkshire. While performing a left-hand circuit for landing on Runway 09, the aircraft encountered surface winds of approximately 045° at 10 to 15 knots.
During the landing sequence, the aircraft struck the runway with significant force, resulting in a bounce. This impact caused the aircraft to pitch upward, which momentarily obscured the pilot's view of the runway surface. As the pilot lowered the nose to regain visibility, the aircraft had drifted left of the runway centerline onto an area of rougher grass. During the second touchdown on this uneven terrain, the nose landing gear collapsed. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board, and the aircraft sustained minor damage to the underside of the engine cowling.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the sequence of the landing, the impact of the wind conditions, and the subsequent movement of the aircraft off the prepared runway surface.