What happened
On 13 February 2010, a Mainair Blade 912, registration G-CBDP, was performing a private flight when it experienced an accident during landing at Carlisle Airport, Cumbria. The weather conditions at the time were clear with low wind and good visibility.
As the aircraft approached Runway 25, the pilot performed a flare that was too late, leading to a heavy impact with the runway surface. This forceful contact caused the right mainwheel and strut to detach from the airframe. Following this, the nosewheel assembly collapsed, causing the aircraft to skid along the runway for a short distance. The impact also resulted in a broken propeller and punctures to the material of both wings.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The examination of the aircraft's condition following the event established that the structural damage to the landing gear and the wing punctures were a direct result of the heavy touchdown. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, was uninjured and was able to exit the cockpit without assistance.