What happened
On 3 September 2011, a student pilot was conducting a solo training session at Oxford Airport in a Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, registration G-BCGJ. Prior to this solo flight, the student had completed five dual circuits under instructor supervision, all of which involved the aircraft pitching nose-down and bouncing twice before landing safely. Once the cloudbase rose above 1,500 ft aal, the instructor authorised the student to proceed with solo circuits.
During the third circuit, the aircraft bounced upon touchdown and subsequently became airborne again. Following this second bounce, the aircraft pitched forward, causing the nose landing gear to detach from the airframe. The aircraft remained on the runway surface, sliding on its nose until it came to a halt. Following the impact, the student performed the necessary shutdown procedures, turning the fuel selector, ignition, and battery master switch to the OFF position, before exiting the aircraft.
There were no injuries to the pilot. The aircraft sustained damage to the engine cowling, propeller, and nose landing gear, and the engine suffered a shock-load.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators reviewed the flight sequence, noting that the student had been performing well in previous dual instruction sessions. The investigation also considered the environmental conditions, noting that Runway 19 was in use with a surface wind of 210 degrees at 14 knots.