AAIB investigation to Chevvron 2-32C, G-MZDP
Heavy landing, Watnall Airfield, 31 October 2015.
Summary:
The pilot was flying the aircraft solo for the first time and was completing his third circuit with the intention of stopping. He considered his final approach was stable but had to apply additional power to continue the landing after encountering what he described to be “a drop in lift”. The nose gear struck the ground before the flare and immediately collapsed. The aircraft slid to a halt and the uninjured pilot vacated the aircraft normally.
The pilot was unable to explain the cause of the sink but he was using Runway 15 and the wind was forecast to be from 330ᵒ at 7 kt. He reported that the windsock showed no wind when he took off approximately 15 minutes before the accident and the sink occurred shortly after passing over a line of trees. The pilot considered that he may have misjudged the height during the attempted recovery and in hindsight considered that an early decision to go-around would have been more appropriate.
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