What happened
On the morning of June 2, 1970, a student pilot was conducting his third solo flight in a Beagle-Pup 121, registration HB-NAC, at Grenchen Airport. The flight was part of a pre-flight training course. Following two successful check flights with an instructor earlier that morning, the student departed at 09:44 local time.
The approach was initiated at approximately 1,000 feet with an indicated airspeed between 80 and 85 mph. During the final approach, the pilot noticed the aircraft had drifted to the right of the runway centerline and attempted to correct the course by banking left. During this maneuver, the nose wheel made contact with the ground prematurely. The impact caused the nose gear strut to break, forcing the aircraft to skid on its nose for approximately 60 meters before coming to a halt.
The investigation
The investigation, which commenced shortly after the occurrence, examined the pilot's training status, the aircraft's maintenance history, and the flight conditions. The pilot was a student holding a valid learner's permit, having completed approximately 8.5 hours of flight training and 68 landings, all performed in the same Beagle-Pup 121.
The aircraft, owned by Regionalflugplatz JuraGrenchen AG, was found to be airworthy. Maintenance records showed the last 100-hour inspection had been completed recently, and there were no reported mechanical defects. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were favorable, with visibility of 15 km and light winds.
Findings
The investigation established that the primary cause of the accident was a lack of proper flare technique. The student pilot became excessively focused on maintaining the runway centerline during the final stages of the approach. This preoccupation led to a failure to execute the necessary flare maneuver, resulting in a hard landing that compromised the structural integrity of the nose gear.