What happened
On 17 October 2001, a Jabiru UL-450, registration G-BZST, was conducting a private flight from Headcorn to Sandown Airport on the Isle of Wight. The weather conditions at the time were favorable, characterized by good visibility and a light southerly wind.
As the pilot approached the airfield, they joined the downwind leg of the landing circuit and received clearance to land on Runway 23. During the base leg, the pilot deployed both stages of flaps. Upon turning onto the final approach, the aircraft crossed the runway threshold at approximately 60 knots, which was roughly 5 knots above the pilot's typical approach speed. This resulted in a high-speed touchdown that caused the aircraft to bounce. In an attempt to stabilize the aircraft, the pilot lowered the nose. While the pilot believed all three wheels had made contact with the runway, the force caused the nose landing gear to bend backward, leading the propeller to strike the runway surface. The aircraft subsequently came to a halt on the runway. There were no injuries to the pilot, and the aircraft was vacated through the standard exits. The airport's Rescue and Fire Fighting Service responded to the scene and assisted in moving the aircraft off the runway.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing maneuver and the physical damage sustained by the aircraft, which included a broken propeller and a bent nose landing gear. The pilot's assessment indicated that the primary issue was an excessive approach speed and the subsequent decision to lower the nose following a bounce rather than initiating a go-around.