What happened
On 26 May 2013, an Ikarus C42 FB80, registration G-CDRO, was conducting a private flight from Popham to Old Sarum Airfield in Wiltshire. The weather at the time of the arrival was characterized by overcast conditions and a light north-westerly wind.
During the landing phase on Runway 24, the pilot performed a standard approach but experienced a "ballooning" effect during the flare. The pilot, who applied excessive rearward pressure on the control column, attempted to manage the descent by adding a small amount of engine power. This resulted in a heavy touchdown following the runway.
The impact caused the left main landing gear to collapse. Consequently, the aircraft veered sharply to the left and exited the runway onto the grass area. Both the pilot and the passenger were wearing full safety harnesses and sustained no injuries.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of the landing flare and the mechanical failure of the landing gear. The pilot acknowledged that the excessive back-pressure on the controls contributed to the heavy landing and noted that initiating a go-around would have been the appropriate response to the ballooning effect.