What happened
On 4 May 2004, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, registration G-BNYK, was engaged in a training flight at Full Sutton Airfield, South Yorkshire. The flight was being conducted by a student pilot working towards a Private Pilot's Licence. After completing five successful dual circuits, the instructor offered the student the opportunity to attempt a solo circuit. The student accepted the challenge, and the instructor disembarked to monitor the flight from the ground.
Weather conditions were favorable, characterized by fine visibility and no wind. The takeoff and initial circuit were completed without issue. However, as the aircraft crossed the displaced threshold of Runway 22, the pilot reduced power to idle to begin the flare. The aircraft made a heavy contact with the runway and bounced. Believing the bounce was manageable based on previous experience, the pilot continued the landing attempt. A second, more violent bounce occurred, followed by subsequent oscillations. The aircraft eventually veered off the right side of the runway and came to a stop in a ploughed field. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of the landing and the mechanical state of the aircraft following the excursion. The aircraft sustained damage to the nose wheel, specifically a bent nosewheel fork and a collapsed oleo strut, though the engine and propeller remained intact.
Investigators reviewed the pilot's actions and the instructor's observations. The pilot noted that the primary issue was initiating the flare too late and failing to maintain control of the aircraft's pitch after the initial bounce. The instructor observed that the landing was heavier than usual and suggested that the subsequent bounces may have been intensified by pilot-induced oscillations.