What happened
On 17 April 2010, a Luscombe 8A Silvaire, registration G-BSTX, was conducting a private flight in Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland. Upon touchdown on Runway 36, the pilot did not maintain full aft stick input. Following the landing, the pilot applied the brakes with significant force, which caused the aircraft to tip forward onto its nose.
The impact resulted in damage to the engine, propeller, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot, who was flying with 111 total hours of experience, sustained no injuries during the event.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing roll and the application of braking forces. The assessment focused on the pilot's control inputs during the transition from flight to ground roll and the subsequent deceleration technique used on the runway.