What happened
On 15 August 1998, a Piper PA-28-161, registration G-OCTU, was performing a circuit consolidation exercise at Denham Aerodrome in Middlesex. The flight was being conducted as a private operation by a student pilot.
During the third approach of the exercise, the aircraft was traveling at a slightly high airspeed under light wind conditions. As the student pilot attempted to flare the aircraft for touchdown, the aircraft began to climb. In an effort to correct the flight path, the pilot pushed the control column forward, causing the nosewheel to make contact with the runway surface. The aircraft subsequently bounced twice. During the second bounce, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to both the propeller and the nose gear assembly. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form submitted by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the sequence of the landing attempt and the aerodynamic state of the aircraft during the flare. The investigation established that the pilot's decision to push the control column forward after the initial climb during the flare led to the nosewheel contacting the runway while the aircraft was still in a state that contributed to the subsequent bounces.