What happened
On 11 December 2007, a Grob G115E Tutor, registration G-BYYB, was involved in an accident during a training flight at RAF Cosford, Shropshire. The student pilot, who was performing her first solo flight following a 50-minute dual sortie, attempted a series of circuits.
The initial landing was characterized by a firm touchdown and a subsequent slight bounce, leading the pilot to execute a go-around. The second landing attempt resulted in a significant bounce. Following these two difficult landings, the instructor, observing from the control tower, instructed the pilot to perform another go-around to allow time to settle and to permit the recovery of a broken nosewheel spat from the runway.
On the third landing attempt, the aircraft again touched down firmly with the nosewheel first. During the fourth and final approach, the landing was long and carried excessive speed. This resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear, causing the aircraft to come to rest on the grass area to the left of the runway. The pilot evacuated the aircraft without difficulty, and no injuries were reported.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of landings and the mechanical state of the aircraft. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained damage to the engine mounting frame, cowlings, and propeller blades, which had been shock-loaded. The nosewheel spat was also damaged. The instructor noted that the student pilot appeared flustered by the preceding difficult landings, which likely influenced the final approach.
Findings
- The nose landing gear structure failed during the fourth landing attempt.
- The final approach was long and fast, preventing a proper round-out.
- The pilot's performance was impacted by the stress of two previous unsuccessful landings.