What happened
On 21 April 2010, a Flight Design CTSW, registration G-CENE, was completing a four-leg private day trip when it approached Runway 27L at Barton Airport. During the final stages of the approach, the pilot noticed the aircraft drifting toward the left side of the runway due to north-westerly gusts of 12 kt. In an attempt to correct this drift, the pilot utilized the rudder, which subsequently diverted his attention away from the necessary flare and touchdown procedures.
The aircraft made contact with the main landing gear but then bounced. During this bounce, the aircraft maintained a low speed and continued to drift toward the grass area at the left edge of the runway. The nose landing gear struck the runway surface, resulting in an immediate collapse. The aircraft came to a stop, and the pilot performed a standard engine shutdown. Both occupants exited the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight sequence and the aircraft's handling during the landing phase. The investigation established that the pilot's efforts to counteract the wind drift through rudder input led to a suboptimal touchdown attitude. Specifically, the aircraft touched down in a relatively flat position, and the forward movement of the control column during the bounce was noted as a factor in the aircraft's behavior.