What happened
On 31 May 2008, a Steen Skybolt, registration G-ENGO, was being operated for training purposes at Brimpton Airfield in Berkshire. The pilot was performing conversion training under the supervision of another pilot, completing several successful circuits on the grass runway 07.
During the final landing of the session, the aircraft made a smooth touchdown; however, the landing gear subsequently collapsed. The impact resulted in damage to the propeller and the aircraft's landing gear assembly. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger on board.
The investigation
Following the incident, the aircraft underwent a technical inspection. Investigators examined the shock cord truss tube, which is a hollow steel component situated beneath the forward fuselage. The inspection revealed that this specific steel tube had failed.
Records indicated that the aircraft had only been in service for approximately six hours since its construction. It was noted that the aircraft had previously experienced one hard landing. Although a subsequent inspection following that earlier event had found no visible damage, the investigation considered whether that impact might have caused undetected structural compromise.