Date:	Sunday 8 January 2017
Time:	13:00
Type:	Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-CFUE
MSN:	LAA 330A-14867
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Weston Zoyland Airfield, near Bridgwater, Somerset -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Weston Zoyland Airfield, near Bridgwater, Somerset
Destination airport:	Weston Zoyland Airfield, near Bridgwater, Somerset
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Pioneer 300 Hawk, G-CFUE: Damaged when Nosewheel detached on landing, Weston Zoyland Airfield, Somerset, 8 January 2017. The incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is the summary from the AAIB Report

"On returning to the airfield after a short local flight, the aircraft floated before settling onto the main landing gear. Upon lowering the nose, the pilot reported that there was a “bang and the aircraft felt unstable”. The aircraft dropped onto its nose and the propeller broke when it struck the ground. The aircraft slid to a halt and the pilot, who was uninjured, exited normally.

Examination by the Light Aircraft Association (LAA) established that the nosewheel and fork assembly had separated due to overload. The nose landing gear over centre mechanism was found to be locked and the firewall had been distorted rearwards by the forces imparted during the accident. The nature of the damage indicated that the nose gear had experienced heavy loads during the landing, possibly associated with ‘wheelbarrowing’.

The LAA have undertaken a review of recent Pioneer 300 landing gear incidents and a precis of their findings is presented in a ‘Safety Spot’ article within their March 2017 ‘Light Aviation’ publication

=Damaged sustained to airframe=
Per the AAIB Report "Nosewheel detached, damage to propeller and aircraft structure". The aircraft was repaired and returned to service, being sold on to its second (and current) owner on 15 December 2022

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58ef905d40f0b606e7000190/Pioneer_300_Hawk_G-CFUE_05-17.pdf
2. https://mar2013.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/2017/Magazine/Mar/safety_spot.pdf pp.48-51
3. https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-CFUE.html
4. https://www.radarbox.com/data/registration/G-CFUE
5. https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-cfue
6. http://www.westonzoylandflyingclub.co.uk/
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Weston_Zoyland#Current_use

This Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300 was built in 2009, and was first registered (from new) as G-CFUE on 1 February 2009.After the incident at Weston Zoyland on 8 January 2017, G-CFUE was repaired and returned to service being sold on to its second (and current) owner on 15 December 2022. As at 1 November 2023, G-CFUE had accumulated a total of 200 flying hours on the airframe

Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300 G-CFUE at Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport, Bobbington, Staffordshire, 26 May 2018

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-May-2024 15:41	Dr. John Smith	Added
14-May-2024 15:42	ASN	Updated [Embed code, Accident report]
15-May-2024 18:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Category]