What happened
On 13 June 2017, a Flight Design CTSW, registration G-CFDO, was conducting a private flight to Causey Park Airfield in Northumberland. The weather conditions were favorable, with a south-westerly wind blowing at 10 to 15 knots. The pilot elected to land on the airfield's south-westerly grass runway.
During the landing sequence, the aircraft made a firm touchdown and subsequently bounced toward the left side of the runway. This maneuver resulted in the aircraft exiting the runway and entering an adjacent field of corn. As the aircraft moved through the crops, the landing gear became entangled with the corn stalks. The nose wheel then struck soft ground, causing it to collapse. The momentum of the aircraft caused it to roll forward, ultimately coming to rest in an inverted position. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft without assistance and sustained no injuries.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of the landing and the environmental conditions of the airfield. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained damage to its propeller, windscreen, and wheel spats. The pilot noted that the intention was to perform a short-field landing, which contributed to the nature of the touchdown.