What happened
On 22 September 2013, a Eurostar EV-97, registration G-CEHL, was performing a training flight at Gloucestershire Airport. The aircraft, operated by a student pilot, was returning to the airfield following a qualifying cross-country mission. At the time of the incident, weather conditions were favorable, with runway 27 in use and light south-westerly winds.
As the aircraft entered the flare phase of the landing, it failed to pitch up into the required touchdown attitude, maintaining a slightly nose-down orientation. The aircraft subsequently made contact with the runway on its nose landing gear. This initial impact led to a series of three bounces, each increasing in magnitude. During this sequence, the nose landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to come to a stop on the runway. The pilot sustained no injuries and was able to exit the cockpit without assistance.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed the accident report submitted by the pilot and interviewed the chief flying instructor, who witnessed the event. The investigation focused on the flight path during the final approach and the mechanical response of the landing gear. The instructor noted that the approach appeared standard until the round-out phase, at which point the aircraft's attitude deviated from the expected landing configuration.
Findings
- The pilot misjudged the aircraft's height above the runway surface during the flare.
- A sense of surprise and confusion during the landing sequence prevented the pilot from executing a timely go-around.
- The sequence of three progressively larger bounces directly led to the structural failure of the nose landing gear.