Incident Overview
On 2 October 2016, at 1241 UTC, a Fournier RF5 (registration G-AZPF, serial number 5001) sustained damage during landing at Manchester Barton Aerodrome. The aircraft was operated by a private pilot on a local flight. The pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured.
Flight and Landing Sequence
After a local area flight, the pilot returned to land on grass Runway 26R. Weather conditions were good: calm wind, CAVOK, outside air temperature 16°C, dew point 9°C, and QNH 1016 hPa.
The pilot reported a stable final approach but perceived being too high. At a speed of 60 kt, he closed the throttle and fully extended the airbrakes. The approach path corrected, and he began the flare in the correct position but at an excessive height. While maintaining back pressure on the control stick, airspeed decayed, and the aircraft stalled from an estimated height of 5 to 10 feet. The aircraft landed heavily on the grass runway, veered to the right, and sustained damage to its fuselage and wing.
Pilot Background and Comments
The pilot, aged 78, held a Private Pilot’s Licence with 338 total flying hours, 29 of which were on type. His recent flying experience included 5 hours in the previous 90 days and 4 hours in the previous 28 days. He had prior experience with Cessna aircraft and reported difficulty judging the round out in the Fournier.
After the accident, the pilot considered that a go-around should have been carried out when it became apparent the round out was too high. He was wearing a full harness and exited the aircraft unassisted.
Damage
The aircraft sustained damage to its fuselage and wing. No other damage was reported.