What happened
On 19 July 2018, an Auster 6A Tugmaster, registration G-APRO, was conducting a private flight at Old Bucken andham Airfield in Norfolk. While performing the final approach to land on the grass runway 07L, the aircraft's airspeed decreased to a critical level. This loss of speed caused the aircraft to stall at an altitude of roughly 10 feet. As a result, the aircraft dropped onto the airfield, causing the landing gear to collapse and inflicting damage to the propeller and the engine cowling.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the flight parameters during the approach and the sequence of events leading to the impact. The pilot, who held a private pilot's licence and had 294 total flying hours, provided the primary account of the incident.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a stall during the final approach phase.
- The primary cause of the accident was a misjudgement of the landing parameters, specifically regarding airspeed management.
- The impact resulted in no injuries to the two crew members on board.