What happened
On 8 June 2005, a Jabiru UL-450, registration G-DJAY, was conducting a private flight from Popham to Wycombe Air Park in Buckinghamshire. The weather conditions during the approach were favorable, with light winds recorded at 180 degrees and a speed of 2 knots.
As the pilot attempted to land on Runway 24 Right, the aircraft experienced a bounce upon contact with the runway. This impact caused the nose wheel rubber shock absorber to fail, leading to the collapse of the nose gear. The resulting movement caused the tips of the propeller to sustain damage, along with damage to the nose wheel assembly.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The pilot, who held a Private Pilot's Licence and had 609 total flying hours, was the sole occupant of the aircraft. The investigation confirmed that the pilot was secured with both a lap strap and a diagonal harness at the time of the incident. No injuries were sustained by the crew, and the pilot was able to exit the aircraft without assistance.
Findings
- The primary cause of the damage was an aircraft bounce during the landing phase.
- The impact from the bounce resulted in the failure of the nose wheel rubber shock absorber and the subsequent collapse of the nose gear.
- The mechanical failure of the gear led to secondary damage to the propeller tips.