What happened
On 17 August 2008, a Reims Cessna F152, registration G-BKGW, was involved in an accident during a solo training flight at Leicester Airport. The pilot, a student with 20 hours of total flying experience, had successfully completed their first solo flight earlier that same day. Following a midday break, the pilot commenced a solo navigation exercise.
Upon returning to the airfield, the aircraft experienced a heavy landing. The impact resulted in damage to the engine, the propeller, and the nose gear leg. There were no injuries to the pilot during the event.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The investigation established that the pilot had been cleared for solo operations earlier in the day. During the landing phase of the return flight, the pilot suggested that the aircraft may have been flared too early, leading to the high-impact landing. The flight instructor was not present to observe the landing as the flight was being conducted solo.