What happened
On 13 October 2010, a Eurostar UK Eurostar, registration G-CFRT, was performing a private flight when it experienced an accident during its approach to Runway 08 at Clench Common Airfield in Wiltshire. The weather at the time was reported as good, with an 8 kt wind originating from the east.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft experienced a bounce and became airborne once more. In an attempt to manage the situation, the pilot tried to hold the aircraft off the runway to allow it to settle back onto the main landing gear. However, the aircraft pitched nose-down before making contact with the ground. This maneuver resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear. The impact caused damage to the nosewheel, propeller, cowling, and radiator. Both the pilot and the passenger were uninjured and were able to exit the aircraft through the normal door.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing and the pilot's subsequent actions following the initial bounce. The examination focused on the aircraft's pitch attitude and the application of engine power during the critical moments of the landing roll.