What happened
On 13 July 2017, an Evans VP-1 Series 2 Volksplane, registration G-AYUJ, was performing a private flight when it experienced an incident during its arrival at Barton Ashes Airstrip in Hampshire. The pilot was approaching Runway 2/20 from the north-west under favorable weather conditions, with visibility exceeding 10 km and a light wind of 3 knots from 260°.
During the final stages of the approach, the aircraft's airspeed decreased significantly. This decay in speed led to an aerodynamic stall, causing the aircraft to strike the runway with considerable force. The impact resulted in damage to the propeller, the left landing gear leg, and potential damage to the crankshaft. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, was uninjured and was able to exit the cockpit without assistance.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators reviewed the circumstances of the flight, the environmental conditions at the time of the landing, and the mechanical state of the aircraft following the impact.