Aircraft and Flight Information
The accident involved a Reims Cessna F152, registration G-BJKY, manufactured in 1981. It was powered by a single Lycoming O-235-L2C piston engine. The flight was a training sortie, flown by a solo student pilot on a cross-country qualifying flight from Blackpool, with planned stops at Hawarden and Caernarfon before returning to Blackpool. The weather conditions were reported as fine.
Accident Sequence
The pilot landed successfully at Hawarden, where his overall standard was commented as "very good." He then flew to Caernarfon and made an approach to Runway 02, which has an asphalt surface and a Landing Distance Available (LDA) of 1,000 m. The surface wind was from 040° at 17 kt.
The initial touchdown was heavy, causing the aircraft to bounce back into the air. The student recalled holding the control column back and allowing the aircraft to land again. It bounced once more and adopted a nose-high attitude. The student then released some back pressure to lower the nose so that he could see ahead, but the aircraft pitched down and landed on its nosewheel. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft slid along the runway before coming to rest on its nose and starboard wheel.
Pilot Information
The commander was a 45-year-old student pilot with a total flying experience of 44 hours, all on type. In the last 90 days, he had flown 6 hours, and in the last 28 days, 2 hours.
Damage and Injuries
The accident resulted in damage to the nose landing gear, propeller, firewall, lower fuselage, and starboard wing. There was no fire. The pilot was not injured and was able to vacate the aircraft without assistance.