What happened
On 20 June 2014, an Ikarus C42 FB100, registration G-ZAVI, was conducting a private flight to Lundy Island, Devon. Prior to arrival, the pilot had been notified that sheep might be present on the airfield runway. Upon approaching the field, the pilot observed several sheep on the runway and performed two low passes and approaches to clear the area.
During the third approach, the pilot identified a ewe and a lamb near the runway threshold. To avoid the animals, the pilot opted for a long landing. As the aircraft touched down, the sheep dispersed, with the ewe running to the right and the lamb to the left. While the initial touchdown appeared normal, the aircraft failed to decelerate when brakes were applied. The aircraft subsequently veered towards a wall located past the runway end. In an attempt to steer the aircraft across uneven terrain to the right, the nose leg collapsed, causing the propeller blades to strike the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Examination of the aircraft revealed damage to the nose leg, the fairing, the wheel spats, and the hydraulic brake lines. A dead lamb was discovered near the runway threshold following the incident. The pilot suggested that the right main wheel may have struck the lamb during the landing sequence, which likely resulted in the damage to the wheel spat and the rupture of the hydraulic brake pipes.