What happened
On 6 July 1998, a Reims Cessna F152, registration G-BMVB, was involved in an accident at Manchester (Barton) Airfield. The aircraft was being operated by a student pilot as part of a private training flight. During the flight, which was the student's first solo mission as part of a Private Pilot's Licence course, the pilot attempted to land the aircraft.
During the landing sequence, the pilot misjudged the flare maneuver. This caused the aircraft to balloon momentarily above the runway. Following this, the aircraft pitched forward, resulting in a landing on the nosewheel rather than the main gear.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The examination focused on the flight maneuvers during the landing phase and the subsequent impact with the airfield surface. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained substantial damage to both the propeller and the nose landing gear.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the misjudgment of the flare during the landing phase.
- The aircraft's flight path was interrupted by a ballooning effect, which led to an improper pitch attitude during touchdown.