Introduction
On 28 June 2013, at 1700 hours UTC, a Cosmik Aviation EV-97 Eurostar micro-light aircraft, registration G-MPAT, was involved in an accident during landing at a private grass airstrip in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. The aircraft sustained damage to the nose landing gear and propeller. The pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a Cosmik Aviation EV-97 Eurostar, manufactured in 2010 (serial number 3919). It was powered by a single Rotax 912-UL piston engine. The pilot, aged 50, held a Private Pilot’s Licence and had accumulated 1,030 flying hours, including 113 hours on the type. In the 90 days preceding the accident, the pilot had flown 7 hours, with 4 hours in the last 28 days.
Accident Sequence
The flight was a local private operation, and the weather at the time was described by the pilot as fine and calm. During the landing roll on the grass strip, the aircraft encountered a surface undulation, causing it to become airborne again. The pilot reduced the pitch attitude, and the aircraft touched down again before bouncing twice more. On the second or subsequent bounce, the nose landing gear collapsed, allowing the propeller to strike the ground. The impact stopped the engine.
Aftermath
The pilot was not injured and evacuated the aircraft. The nose landing gear and propeller were damaged. In his report, the pilot commented that applying power immediately and executing a go-around after the first bounce would have been the correct course of action.