What happened
On 23 May 2009, a Cessna U206G Stationair, registration G-LEMO, was conducting a private flight when it experienced an accident during landing at East Winch Airfield, Norfolk. Following a routine local flight, the aircraft approached Runway 09. During the landing phase, the aircraft bounced on the runway surface. This bounce transitioned into a 'porpoising' motion that the pilot was unable to arrest. As a result of this uncontrolled movement, the nose landing gear collapsed. Following the collapse, the propeller made contact with the grass runway before the aircraft finally came to a stop.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of the landing maneuver and the subsequent mechanical failure. It was established that the pilot had flared too high during the approach, which initiated the initial bounce. The investigation confirmed that there were no injuries to the pilot or the three passengers on board, all of whom were able to exit the aircraft without assistance.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the uncontrolled porpoising motion following an excessive flare during the approach.
- The nose landing gear failure was a direct consequence of the impact forces generated by the bouncing motion.