Incident Details
On 15 December 2003 at 1130 UTC, a Grumman AA-5 Traveller, registration G-BLFW, was operating a private flight from Draycott Farm, Swindon, Wiltshire. The aircraft was manufactured in 1975 and powered by a single Lycoming O-320-E2G piston engine. The commander, aged 49, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 197 total flying hours, of which 65 were on type, with 9 hours in the last 90 days and 3 hours in the last 28 days. There was one passenger on board.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that the grass strip in use (Runway 36) was dry but soft and featured two humps, the first located some distance beyond the normal touchdown point. Wind conditions were light or calm. The approach was normal, and the engine was throttled back completely as the aircraft reached the threshold. The aircraft floated and did not touch down until it reached the rising ground of the first hump, where initial contact caused a bounce. The bounce did not appear excessive, so the pilot did not apply power. On the second ground contact, a more severe bounce occurred, and before the pilot could take corrective action, the aircraft landed more heavily. After a short ground roll, the nose landing gear failed, and the aircraft came to rest on the nose cowling.
Damage and Injuries
The damage was substantial to the nosewheel and propeller, with minor damage to the underside of the cowling. Neither the pilot nor the passenger sustained injuries, and both were able to exit the aircraft normally. The pilot considered that a touchdown nearer the threshold on the level surface and a reduced airspeed would have resulted in a normal landing, and that the soft ground was a factor in the nose landing gear failure.