What happened
On 5 September 2010, a Reims Cessna F150M, registration G-HIVE, was conducting training maneuvers at Beverley Airfield, North Humberside. The flight was being operated by a student pilot who had previously completed three circuits and a practice emergency procedure. Following these maneuvers, the student performed four successful solo landings on Runway 12.
During the fifth solo approach, the aircraft's touchdown was interrupted by a bump on the grass runway. This caused the aircraft to balloon momentarily. Despite several efforts by the pilot to recover control, the aircraft bounced twice before making a heavy landing on the nosewheel. The impact was severe enough to cause a bent engine frame. The pilot was not injured during the incident.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The weather at the time of the accident was reported as clear, with visibility of approximately 10 km and a wind velocity of 12 to 14 knots blowing down the runway.
Investigators noted that the student pilot had 44 hours of total flying experience, all of which were on this specific aircraft type. The pilot acknowledged that the aircraft should have undergone a go-around procedure as previously instructed. It was also noted that the instructor, who had been present during earlier parts of the flight, was unable to communicate a go-around command via radio in time to prevent the sequence of events.
Findings
- The primary cause of the damage was a heavy nosewheel landing following a bounce.
- The aircraft struck a bump on the grass runway, which initiated the ballooning effect.
- The student pilot failed to execute a go-around despite having been instructed to do so during the flight.