What happened
On 25 August 1998, a Cessna 150M, registration G-BCTU, was conducting a private navigation exercise when it was involved in a landing accident at Compton Abbas, Wiltshire. The aircraft, operated by a student pilot, was approaching Runway 26 with a surface wind recorded at 270°/10 kt.
While the initial approach proceeded without incident, the aircraft began to sink during the flare phase. This resulted in a heavy impact with the runway surface. The force of the landing caused the nose landing gear to separate from the airframe. The impact also caused substantial damage to the propeller and the engine mountings.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the accident report submitted by the pilot. The examiner noted that the pilot was a student with 53 total flying hours, all of which were on this specific aircraft type.
During the inquiry, it was noted that the instructor suggested that fluctuations in wind speed or direction at the threshold of Runway 26 may have contributed to the aircraft's descent during the flare. Furthermore, the investigation highlighted that this incident was the third accident involving student pilots landing on this specific runway within a three-month period, with two of those pilots also visiting the airfield for navigation exercises.