What happened
On 25 September 2001, a Grob G115E, registration G-BYUE, was conducting a training flight at RAF College, Cranwell. The flight was a standard instructional exercise involving a student Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) and an instructor. During a visual circuit and approach to the right side of grass Runway 09, the aircraft approached the threshold at a steeper angle than usual, with speeds approximately 3 to 5 knots above the target 70 kt.
As the aircraft reached the threshold, the speed had dropped to the target 70 kt. To prevent the aircraft from ballooning, the pilot delayed the landing flare. This resulted in a simultaneous touchdown of all three wheels, causing the aircraft to bounce. During this bounce, the pilot moved the control column forward, causing the nose wheel to strike the ground. The pilot immediately applied full power and initiated a go-around, noting the occurrence of pilot-induced oscillation.
Believing the propeller had made contact with the ground during the bounce, the instructor took control of the aircraft at an altitude of roughly 5 feet. The instructor closed the throttle and landed the aircraft straight ahead on the grass runway. The aircraft came to a stop with 500 feet of runway remaining and taxied to dispersal without further issues.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The examination focused on the flight parameters during the final approach and the sequence of control inputs following the touchdown. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller blades, the nose landing gear, the engine mounting frame, and the fuselage.