What happened
On 20 May 2000, a Grumman AA-5, registration G-BCIK, was performing a private flight in the vicinity of Tatenhill Airfield, Staffordshire. During the landing phase on Runway 26, the aircraft experienced an unstable touchdown. Witnesses observed the aircraft bounce upon initial contact with the runway, which subsequently triggered a sequence of increasingly divergent bounces. This instability continued until the nose landing gear failed, resulting in the collapse of the gear and causing extensive damage to the airframe. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing and the environmental conditions, noting a surface wind of 190° at 7 knots at the time of the event. The pilot's assessment indicated that the accident was a result of failing to execute a go-around once the initial touchdown became unstable.