What happened
On 10 April 2019, a Teameurostar UK, registration G-CETT, was performing a private flight at Carrickmore Airfield in County Tyrone. While the pilot was executing an approach to land on Runway 08, the aircraft entered an area of turbulent air.
During the approach, the aircraft experienced a period of sinking, which the pilot attempted to rectify by increasing engine power. This was followed by a sudden increase in lift, after which the aircraft sank toward the runway once more. To prevent a potential stall during this second descent, the pilot pushed the control stick forward. This maneuver resulted in a heavy landing on the runway. Following the touchdown, the aircraft slewed to the right and struck a metal gate post. The impact caused damage to the aircraft that was deemed beyond economical repair. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The inquiry examined the flight path and the pilot's responses to the atmospheric conditions encountered during the final approach. The investigation also considered the pilot's decision-making regarding the decision to continue the approach versus performing a go-around.