What happened
On 11 July 2015, a Europa aircraft, registration G-JHYS, was performing a private flight at Laddingford Aerodrome in Kent. During the approach to the grass runway 29, the pilot encountered bumpy conditions and significant turbulence while flying over nearby trees.
As the aircraft transitioned to the final approach, it landed to the left of the runway centerline. Following touchdown, the aircraft continued to drift toward the left edge of the runway. The left wingtip eventually made contact with long grass at the runway boundary, causing the aircraft to yaw further left. This movement directed the aircraft off the runway surface and into a drainage ditch, where it came to an abrupt stop. The impact resulted in damage to the propeller, the undercarriage, and the underside of the airframe. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained no injuries and was able to exit the aircraft safely.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the environmental conditions and the flight path during the landing phase. The pilot noted that the turbulence encountered during the approach likely contributed to the initial deviation from the centerline. However, the pilot could not determine why the aircraft's heading could not be corrected before it exited the runway surface. It was also noted that another aircraft, G-IKRK, experienced a similar runway excursion at the same location approximately 35 minutes after the initial event.