What happened
On 17 October 2009, a TeamEurostar UK microlight, registration G-CFNW, was conducting solo training circuits at Perth Aerodrome in Scotland. The aircraft, powered by a single Rotax 912-UL engine, was being operated by a student pilot performing a series of touch-and-go landings.
During one of these landing attempts on Runway 03, the aircraft bounced immediately after making contact with the runway. Following this bounce, the aircraft touched down again with significant force on the nosewheel. Fearing potential structural damage, the pilot aborted the landing sequence and applied full power to climb away from the airfield. The pilot requested a visual inspection from the tower controller, who reported no obvious external damage. As a safety precaution, the pilot requested that the airfield fire service remain on standby.
While the subsequent landing was completed without further incident, a post-flight inspection of the aircraft identified several areas of damage, including a minor propeller strike, a dent in the nosewheel rim, and slight buckling of the cockpit floor and engine firewall.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the sequence of the landing attempt and the subsequent impact forces sustained by the nosewheel and airframe.