Accident Overview
On 26 August 2013, at approximately 1143 UTC, an EV-97 TeamEurostar UK microlight aircraft, registration G-CEFZ, sustained damage during a touch-and-go landing at Cotswold Airport, Gloucestershire. The aircraft was on a training flight with a solo student pilot on board. No passengers were carried.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot, aged 54, held a student licence and had accumulated 60 hours of total flying experience, 59 of which were on the EV-97 type. He had flown 14 hours in the preceding 90 days and 3 hours in the last 28 days. As pilot-in-command, his experience was 1 hour 45 minutes. The aircraft, manufactured in 2006 (serial number 2824), was powered by a single Rotax 912-UL piston engine.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot's report, submitted via an Aircraft Accident Report Form, the flight had included several successful circuits with an instructor prior to the accident. The student was then conducting a solo touch-and-go landing on Runway 08. The surface wind was reported as 040° at 9 knots.
The student reported that the flare phase proceeded normally until the aircraft "suddenly dropped" onto the runway. Following the hard landing, the aircraft bounced and subsequently developed a pitch oscillation. This oscillation resulted in a nosewheel-first touchdown, causing the nose landing gear to collapse. The aircraft came to a halt on the runway. The pilot was uninjured and was able to vacate the aircraft unaided.
Damage
The accident resulted in damage to the nose landing gear, propeller, and forward fuselage.
Injuries
No injuries were sustained by the pilot.
Probable Cause
The investigation did not determine a probable cause.