What happened
On 19 October 2005, a Reims Cessna F152, registration G-BIUM, was conducting a solo training flight at Netherthorpe Aerodrome in Nottinghamshire. The student pilot had successfully completed the circuit and approach phases of the flight. However, as the aircraft neared the runway for touchdown, it ballooned back into the air. This maneuver was likely caused by the pilot applying excessive aft movement to the control wheel during the flare.
Following this sudden increase in altitude, the aircraft stalled at a height of approximately five feet. This resulted in the left wing dropping and striking the ground. The momentum caused the aircraft to roll toward the right, leading to a second impact with the right wing tip. The aircraft eventually came to a halt after sustaining damage to the propeller, engine mounts, and the nose landing gear. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained no injuries and exited the aircraft through the cockpit door.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the landing and the pilot's control inputs. The investigation established that the aircraft was operating in favorable weather conditions, with a light surface wind of approximately six knots. The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the flare, specifically how the application of the control wheel led to the loss of altitude and the subsequent wing drop.