What happened
On 18 August 1999, a Gulfstream AA-5A, registration G-BGVV, was engaged in a private training flight at Prestwick Airport. The flight was being conducted by a flying instructor who was providing a trial lesson to a passenger. The weather conditions at the time were favorable, with a surface wind reported from 050° at 14 knots.
During the approach to Runway 13, the pilot performed a high flare, which resulted in the aircraft bouncing upon contact with the runway. Following this bounce, the aircraft made a second contact with the runway surface. At this moment, the nosewheel assembly failed and collapsed. There were no injuries to the two crew members or the single passenger on board, though the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and the nosewheel.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the sequence of the landing maneuver and the pilot's response to the aircraft's behavior during the bounce. The pilot, an experienced instructor with over 3,300 total flying hours, provided an assessment of the event.