Date:	Monday 7 December 2020
Time:	14:30 LT
Type:	Grob G-115-A
Owner/operator:	Swiftair Maintenance Ltd
Registration:	G-GPSX
MSN:	8040
Year of manufacture:	1988
Engine model:	Lycoming O-235-H2C
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Nottingham Airport, Tollerton, Edwalton, Nottinghamshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Nottingham Airport (NQT/EGBN)
Destination airport:	Nottingham Airport (NQT/EGBN)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Grob G115A, G-GPSX: Nose gear failed during landing, Nottingham City Airport, Edwalton, Nottinghamshire, 7 December 2020. The AAIB Final Report into the incident was published on 13 May 2021, and the following is an excerpt from it:

"The event occurred on a training flight during which the student was practising exercises 12 and 13 (takeoff and climb to downwind position/circuit, approach and landing).

Following the first few touch-and-go landings everything appeared normal, then, during a subsequent circuit, both the instructor and student heard a “cracking” noise. They continued with the exercises and the next touch-and-go landing was uneventful. However, during the following landing the same, but this time louder, “cracking” noise was heard as the student applied full power for the takeoff.

The instructor contacted the Air/Ground radio operator to ask for someone to visually inspect the aircraft on the next approach. The pilot of another aircraft in the circuit then reported that the nosewheel appeared to be “swaying backwards and forwards”. On hearing this information, the instructor took control of the aircraft and transmitted a MAYDAY call.

For the landing, the instructor prolonged the flare as much as possible to minimise the nose landing gear contact with the paved runway surface. During the landing rollout, the aircraft derotated onto the upper half of the nose landing gear, with the nosewheel assembly dragging behind, still attached by the scissor torque link, allowing the propeller blades to contact the ground.

=AAIB Conclusion=
The nose landing gear gas strut piston rod failed under overload during a touch-and-go landing. Previous similar occurrences on other aircraft occurred within days following maintenance on the nose landing gear. However, this aircraft had accumulated about 1,000 flight hours since the last maintenance on the nose landing gear, which would indicate that the maintenance carried out was not a factor in this event. It was not possible to establish the cause of the piston rod failure.

=Damage To Airframe=
Per the above AAIB Report, airframe damage was "Collapsed nosewheel, bent propeller"

1. BFU Germany Report December 2020: https://www.bfu-web.de/DE/Publikationen/Bulletins/2020/Bulletin2020-12.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
2. AAIB Final report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6076fa948fa8f57362ca4981/Grob_G115A_G-GPSX_05-21.pdf
3. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/GGPSX/history/20201207/1416Z/EGBN/EGBN
4. G-GPSX at Tollerton, Nottingham (EGBN) on 9/9/2017: https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/8695369
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottingham_Airport

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

9 December 2022

G-GPSX

Air Midwest Ltd

0

Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport (EGBO), Staffordshire

sub

Grob G.115-A G-GPSX at Halfpenny Green,Staffs., 25/05/14: Grob G.115-A G-GPSX at Halfpenny Green, Staffs., 12/01/14:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
25-Feb-2021 12:16	harro	Added
25-Feb-2021 12:25	harro	Updated [Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source]
26-Feb-2021 02:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Total occupants, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
26-Feb-2021 02:55	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Embed code]
26-Feb-2021 03:23	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Embed code, Narrative]
27-Feb-2021 19:03	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
27-Feb-2021 19:03	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Embed code]
13-May-2021 12:31	harro	Updated [Operator, Narrative, Accident report]
13-May-2021 16:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Total occupants, Nature, Source, Narrative]
28-Jul-2021 15:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category]