Incident Details
The aircraft, a Piper PA-28-180 (registration G-AVNO), was conducting a private flight from Shoreham, Sussex to Southend Airport, Essex. On 17 April 1998 at 1555 hours UTC, the pilot made a normal approach to Runway 06. During the flare, the aircraft encountered turbulence, causing the nosewheel to contact the ground heavily. This resulted in the tyre bursting. The damage was limited to the nosewheel and tyre. No injuries were reported among the pilot and the single passenger.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft, manufactured in 1967, was equipped with one Lycoming O-360-A4A piston engine. The pilot, aged 67, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 64 hours of total flying experience, with 3 hours on the PA-28 type. In the 90 days preceding the incident, the pilot had logged 3 hours, all within the last 28 days.
Probable Cause
The pilot attributed the incident to his lack of experience with the PA-28 aircraft and crosswind conditions.