What happened
On 24 September 2009, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, registration G-BOMO, was conducting a solo training circuit at Swansea Airport. During the final approach, the student pilot performed an S-turn to manage the aircraft's altitude, as the plane remained higher than intended near the runway threshold. To compensate for this height, the pilot reduced engine power to steepen the glide path.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft experienced a heavy impact and subsequently bounced. In an attempt to recover from this initial bounce, the pilot applied additional power; however, this maneuver failed to stabilize the aircraft and led to a second, even more significant bounce. During the third contact with the runway, the nosewheel collapsed, causing the aircraft to skid to a stop at the edge of the runway. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight maneuvers and the pilot's actions during the approach and landing phases. It was established that the pilot had utilized an S-turn to descend more steeply, but the reduction in power was insufficient to bring the aircraft down to the planned altitude. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's subsequent attempts to manage the aircraft's energy following the initial heavy touchdown and the subsequent bounces that led to the structural failure of the nosewheel assembly.