What happened
On 19 July 2013, a Skyranger Nynja 912S, registration G-CHKG, was conducting a private flight from a landing strip near Retford to Strathaven Airfield in Lanarkshire. The flight was operating under favorable weather conditions, characterized by a light north-easterly wind.
During the landing sequence on Runway 09, the aircraft experienced an unstable touchdown. Shortly after making contact with the grass surface, the aircraft became airborne once more, triggered by an undulation in the terrain. This resulted in a porpoising motion, where the aircraft bounced and subsequently settled into a more aggressive nose-down attitude. During this maneuver, the nose gear failed, causing the aircraft to tip forward and come to rest in an inverted position. Although the aircraft sustained significant damage to the propeller, spinner, cowlings, radiator, roof, tailplane fairing, and nosewheel assembly, both the pilot and the passenger escaped without injury.
The investigation
The investigation, prompted by the pilot's accident report, examined the flight dynamics and the physical state of the aircraft. The pilot provided testimony regarding the approach and the subsequent loss of control. Analysis of the event focused on the pilot's control inputs during the bounce and the impact of the uneven grass runway on the aircraft's stability. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's experience and the aircraft's maintenance and configuration.
Findings
- The aircraft's touchdown was characterized by excessive speed.
- An undulation in the grass runway surface caused the aircraft to become airborne again after the initial contact.
- The pilot's forward stick input during the bounce was a primary factor in the subsequent nose-down attitude and gear collapse.
- The pilot acknowledged that a go-around should have been initiated by applying additional power instead of attempting to continue the landing.