What happened
On 5 August 2011, a Rans S6-ES, registration G-TSOB, was conducting a solo consolidation flight at Audley End Airfield in Essex. The student pilot was performing the second circuit of a planned 45-minute session. While the wind was calm during the initial circuit, conditions changed for the second circuit, with a cross and tail wind estimated at 7 knots from 160 degrees.
During the final approach, the pilot observed that the airspeed was slightly above the intended value and that the touchdown point was further down the runway than planned. The aircraft initially made contact with the runway on its main landing gear, but the impact caused the aircraft to bounce and pitch nose-up. In an attempt to correct the pitch, the pilot applied back pressure to the elevator; however, as the aircraft descended back toward the surface, it pitched nose-down.
Upon touchdown, the nose gear sustained damage. During the subsequent landing roll, the compromised nose gear dug into the ground and detached from the airframe. This caused the aircraft to pitch over into an inverted position, resulting in damage to the wing struts and the fin.
The investigation
An investigation was conducted following the submission of an aircraft accident report by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the sequence of the landing and the mechanical failure of the nose gear. The investigation established that the pilot, who had 21 hours of total flying experience, was uninjured in the accident. The damage to the aircraft included the nose leg, propeller, wing strut, and fin.