Accident Overview
On 3 June 2018, at 1700 UTC, an Aerotechnik EV-97 Eurostar Sl (G-CGPS) was involved in an accident while landing at Sittles Farm, Lichfield, Staffordshire. The aircraft was conducting a private flight with one pilot and one passenger. Both occupants exited the aircraft without injury. Damage was sustained to the right wing, landing gear, canopy, and propeller.
Flight Details
G-CGPS was returning from a local flight to land on Runway 09 at Sittles Farm. The runway is an unlicensed grass strip approximately 500 m long and 30 m wide, with a slight upslope. On the day of the accident, mature rape seed crop lined both sides of the runway. The weather was reported as good visibility, very little cloud, temperature 24°C, and a 5 kt wind that provided a slight tailwind and crosswind from the right for Runway 09.
Accident Narrative
The pilot reported selecting the first stage of flap while turning onto the base leg and the second stage while turning onto final. He recalled being slightly fast on final but on the normal flight path. During the flare, the aircraft floated and “felt like it did not want to settle.” The pilot attempted to force the aircraft onto the runway, resulting in a firm touchdown and a bounce. The aircraft then began to drift to the left. When it touched down again, the pilot applied firm braking. The left wing contacted the crops on the left edge of the runway, causing the aircraft to swing left. This resulted in the collapse of the right landing gear and damage to the right wing.
Post-Accident Observations
Following the accident, the pilot observed that only one stage of flap had been selected. He believed that when he selected the second stage, the flap lever did not engage, causing the flaps to return to the first stage. He attributed the floating to this flap issue. The pilot reflected that he should have performed a go-around either when the aircraft did not touch down at the expected point or when the aircraft bounced.