What happened
On 7 May 2017, an Aerotechnik EV-97 Eurostar SI, registration G-CHMW, was conducting a private flight at Brown Shutters Farm Airfield in Somerset. During the final approach, approximately 10 feet above the runway surface, the pilot performed a flare that was both too high and too abrupt. This maneuver caused the aircraft to stall with the right wing in a lowered position.
The aircraft impacted the upward slope of Runway 33, landing roughly 20 meters short of the displaced threshold. The impact led to the immediate collapse of the right undercarriage strut. As the aircraft veered toward the softer ground on the side of the grass runway, the nosewheel strut also failed. The propeller blades struck the ground, resulting in the blades shearing off and the engine ceasing operation. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing maneuver and the subsequent mechanical failures of the landing gear. The assessment focused on the pilot's control inputs during the flare and the resulting aerodynamic stall that led to the impact on the runway slope.