Cessna 210-N, VH-NQP, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, on 27 September 1990

Circumstances:

The pilot reported making a normal, full flap approach in good conditions using the T-VASIS as an approach aid. He recalled executing what he thought was a normal flare and was surprised when the aircraft touched down and immediately pitched nose up. The aircraft then bounced several times before being brought to rest. Post flight inspection revealed a fractured nosewheel rim and burst tyre, a broken nose leg fork and distortion of the firewall. The ground marks on the runway at touchdown reportedly showed a normal nosewheel tyre tread pattern extending for some 45 centimetres before evidence of significant distortion of the tyre and propeller strikes. Nosewheel tyre marks then indicated that the tyre was rolled off the rim before the nose leg fork failed. Specialist examination showed there were no pre-existing defects in the nose leg and that it had failed in overload. An examination of the pilot's flying experience revealed that he had flown 13 hours on type and only nine hours total in the last 90 days, of which five had been on type. The operator had not carried out an operational assessment of the pilot's ability, as the pilot had been hired only on a part-time basis and this was his first flight for the company.

Significant Factors:

The following factors were considered relevant to the development of the accident:

1. The pilot was inexperienced on the aircraft type.

2. The pilot misjudged the landing flare. This accident was not the subject of an on-scene investigation.