What happened
On 2 January 2015, an Ikarus C42 FB100, registration G-FLYC, was involved in an accident during a private navigation flight from Lower Upham Airfield in Hampshire. The pilot intended to fly to Compton Abbas airfield. Due to the runway surface being wet, the pilot positioned the aircraft to the left of the centerline to avoid the wetter section on the right side of the grass runway.
During the takeoff roll, the aircraft experienced a crosswind from the right. Shortly after applying full throttle, the aircraft began to drift toward the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted to abort the takeoff and applied the wheel brakes; however, the brakes provided no significant deceleration on the wet grass. The aircraft subsequently left the runway, where the left main wheel struck a drainage ditch. This impact caused the aircraft to yaw sharply to the left and pitch forward, bringing the aircraft to a sudden halt. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's handling during taxiing and the conditions of the runway surface. It was noted that the pilot had observed some slipping during taxiing prior to the takeoff attempt. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's mechanical state and the effectiveness of the braking system on the specific surface conditions present at the time of the incident.