What happened
On 24 February 2011, a Cessna 182S Skylane, registration G-BXZM, was completing a private flight at White Waltham Airfield in Berkshire. During the approach to grass Runway 25, the aircraft encountered a dip in the runway surface. A gust of wind, coinciding with this surface irregularity, caused the aircraft to become airborne again after the initial touchdown.
Despite the pilot's efforts to use power to reduce the descent rate, the aircraft bounced multiple times. Following one of these bounces, the aircraft experienced a heavy touchdown on the nose landing gear. While the pilot initially believed there was sufficient runway remaining, the nosewheel leg began to dig into the soil. This caused the aircraft to pitch forward onto its back. The pilot and three passengers, all wearing appropriate safety harnesses, sustained minor injuries but were able to exit the aircraft without assistance.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and ground markings, which showed evidence of a heavy nosewheel impact approximately 10 metres to the right of the runway centerline, along with propeller strikes and a furrow in the turf.
Technical analysis focused on the nosewheel yoke, which had fractured and caused the nosewheel to separate from the landing gear. Microscopic examination of the fracture surfaces revealed a two-stage failure process. The investigation established that a crack had initially spread from the base of the yoke due to tensile overload from excessive drag loading. This was followed by compressive failure, where the yoke buckled under the force of the impact.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's decision to continue the landing attempt rather than performing a go-around after the first bounce.
- The nosewheel yoke failed due to an overload of the component.
- The failure involved both tensile loading from drag and compressive loading consistent with a hard landing.
- The aircraft's nosewheel leg dug into the ground, leading to the inversion of the aircraft.