What happened
On 18 April 2007, a Gemini Flash IIA, registration G-MTIA, was involved in an accident at Caernarfon Airport, Wales. The aircraft was being operated by a student pilot during his first solo flight following two successful circuits with an instructor.
During the initial solo circuit, the pilot attempted to avoid a specific area of potential turbulence by flying higher than usual. This decision led to a steeper approach angle. As the aircraft crossed the runway threshold, the airspeed and descent rate were higher than necessary. The student pilot failed to sufficiently compensate for this increased rate of descent during the flare, resulting in a heavy landing and a subsequent bounce to approximately 20 feet.
In response to the heavy impact, the pilot initiated a go-around. While the aircraft handled normally during the subsequent circuit and the following approach was flown with a standard angle, the landing itself lacked sufficient suspension cushioning. This caused the front strut and the trike keel to fail, bringing the aircraft to a stop on the runway. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of the landing and the structural integrity of the aircraft's keel and struts. Investigators examined the pilot's flight maneuvers and the impact of the heavy landing on the airframe. The investigation also looked into the possibility of underlying structural issues that might have been exacerbated by the impact.