AAIB investigation to Rans S6-ES, G-YTLY
Heavy landing, Longside Airfield, Glendaveny, Aberdeenshire, 26 April 2020.
Summary:
The pilot reported that he planned to carry out a local flight from Longside Airfield near Aberdeen. He took off in a light westerly wind using Runway 28 and at 1,000 ft encountered turbulence. He decided not to continue with the flight and returned to the airfield; however, by this time the surface wind conditions had changed making Runway 10 more suitable for landing.
The pilot said he encountered no difficulty during the approach, with the speed and attitude appearing normal. However, as he flared the aircraft, it descended rapidly, landed hard and bounced before coming to a standstill. The impact broke the nosewheel leg, which collapsed and resulted in damage to the cockpit structure and propeller.
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