Aircraft and Pilot Information
The accident involved a Cessna F152, registration G-BGAD, powered by a single Lycoming O-235-L2C piston engine. The aircraft was manufactured in 1978. The pilot, a 47-year-old student, held 30 hours of flying experience, of which 16 hours were on the accident type. In the previous 90 days, he had logged 16 hours, with 5 hours in the last 28 days.
Flight History
The pilot began flight training at Newtownards in 1995 but flew infrequently, accruing only about 14 hours across four different aircraft types. He recommenced training in March 2001. On the two training flights preceding the accident, his performance was deemed acceptable. The flying instructor assessed him as fit for a first solo and briefed him to conduct one visual circuit.
Accident Sequence
According to the pilot, the takeoff and circuit for Runway 04 proceeded normally. On final approach, the surface wind was reported as 020° at 8 knots. Turbulence lifted the left wing, and the pilot corrected, but the pitch attitude increased, causing him to lose sight of the runway. The nose then pitched down, the right wing dropped, and the pilot saw the runway numbers ahead. The aircraft struck the ground in this attitude, collapsing the nose landing gear. The pilot, wearing a lap and diagonal upper torso restraint, exited the aircraft without assistance from the Rescue and Firefighting Service (RFFS), which arrived almost immediately. He was taken to hospital and diagnosed with a cracked vertebra.
Eye witnesses reported that the approach appeared normal until the final stage, when the aircraft began to roll and pitch erratically. Close to the ground, it pitched nose-up, rose about 30 to 40 feet, then descended nose-down onto the runway.
Aftermath
Examination of the runway revealed a one-inch-deep gouge in the asphalt, apparently made by the nose landing gear, and three propeller strike marks at the initial impact point. This point was located 72 metres from the threshold and 5.7 metres to the right of the runway centerline. Continuous scuff marks extended to the aircraft's final rest position, 55 metres further along the runway. The aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair.
No probable cause was stated in the investigation report.