What happened
On 18 July 2000, a Piper PA-38-112, registration G-SUKI, was engaged in a training flight at Thruxton Airfield, Hampshire. The aircraft was being operated by a student pilot performing solo circuits on the asphalt Runway 25. The weather conditions at the time featured a surface wind of 270° at 6 knots.
Following a period of instruction with an instructor, the student pilot began a series of solo circuits. While the initial two circuits and landings were completed successfully, the third circuit resulted in an unstable approach. The aircraft experienced several bounces during the landing sequence before making a heavy impact on the nosewheel. This impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse and resulted in the propeller striking the ground.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of the landing and the aircraft's handling during the final circuit. It was established that the aircraft bounced multiple times during the touchdown phase. The investigation noted that after the initial bounce occurred, the pilot did not apply power to execute a go-around procedure.
Findings
- The nose landing gear collapsed due to a heavy touchdown on the nosewheel following multiple bounces.
- The pilot failed to initiate a go-around after the first bounce was observed.