What happened
On 18 April 2006, a Reims Cessna F1t2M Skyhawk, registration G-BAEY, was performing a series of circuits and landings at Conington Airfield. The pilot was conducting the flight solo to meet recent experience requirements before an intended aerial photography mission involving a passenger.
During the first circuit, the aircraft bounced several times before the pilot executed a go-around. On a subsequent circuit, the pilot performed a flare for landing, but reported that the aircraft pitched up unexpectedly. In an attempt to prevent a stall, the pilot pushed the control yoke forward. This resulted in a heavy touchdown on the nosewheel. The impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse, leading to the propeller tips striking the runway and causing structural damage to the fuselage skin and cockpit floor.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The aircraft had undergone an annual inspection just six days prior to the event, and the maintenance organization had no record of any mechanical defects that could have caused the unexpected pitch-up.
Witnesses on the ground, including another pilot, observed the landing. While one witness suggested a potential control restriction, the investigation found no evidence of any mechanical failure or pre-existing defect in the controls. Meteorological data indicated a steady wind of 15 knots, which was within the manufacturer's limits and unlikely to have caused adverse turbulence.
Findings
- The aircraft was in a serviceable condition prior to the accident.
- There was no evidence of mechanical failure or weather conditions that contributed to the unexpected pitch-up.
- The nosewheel landing subjected the nose gear to loads exceeding its design limits, leading to its failure.
- The force of the impact caused the instrument panel and cockpit floor to deform, which subsequently trapped the control yoke shafts.