What happened
On 22 June 1999, a Piper PA-28-180, registration G-BBKX, was performing a solo qualifying cross-country flight from Farnborough to Thruxton. The weather conditions at the time were favorable, characterized by good visibility and calm winds.
Upon arriving at Thruxton, the student pilot entered a visual circuit to land on Runway 25. During the landing sequence, the aircraft made contact with the main landing gear just past the runway threshold, which resulted in a bounce. In an attempt to cushion the subsequent impact, the pilot applied engine power; however, this led to a second bounce. This second impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse. The aircraft subsequently veered toward the left side of the runway and came to a stop on the nearby grass. There were no injuries to the pilot, who was able to exit the aircraft safely.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of the landing and the mechanical response of the aircraft following the bounces. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the propeller and the nose landing gear.