Incident Overview
On 7 May 2017 at approximately 1125 hours UTC, a private flight involving an Aerotechnik EV-97 Eurostar SI, registration G-CHMW, experienced an accident during landing at Brown Shutters Farm Airfield in Somerset. The pilot, who held a Private Pilot's Licence, was the sole crew member, with one passenger on board. Both occupants exited the aircraft uninjured.
Aircraft and Crew Information
The aircraft was a single-engine Aerotechnik EV-97 Eurostar SI, manufactured in 2013 with serial number LAA 315B-15158. It was powered by one Rotax 914-UL piston engine. The commander, aged 54, had accumulated 263 total flying hours, of which 43 were on the type. In the 90 days preceding the accident, he had flown 8 hours, with 4 hours in the last 28 days.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot's report, the approach to Runway 33 was normal until the flare. Approximately 10 feet above the runway, the pilot stated he flared "too sharply and too high," causing the aircraft to stall. With the right wing dropping, the aircraft touched down on the upward slope of the runway about 20 meters short of the displaced threshold. The right undercarriage strut collapsed, and the aircraft veered to the right onto softer ground adjacent to the grass runway. Subsequently, the nosewheel strut also collapsed, causing the propeller blades to contact the ground. The blades sheared off, and the engine stopped.
Damage Assessment
The accident resulted in the collapse of the right and nose landing gear and a broken propeller. No other damage was reported.