What happened
On 25 July 2018, a Jabiru SK, registration G-OJAB, was conducting a private flight from Southery Airfield in Norfolk to a private landing strip located in Higham, Kent. As the pilot was unfamiliar with the destination, he performed an overflight of the strip to evaluate the runway conditions before contacting the airfield owner to confirm the area was clear for arrival.
Upon landing, the aircraft touched down approximately one-quarter of the way down Runway 17. Due to the limited length of the runway, the pilot initiated a firm braking maneuver. The pilot noted that the braking effectiveness was significantly higher than anticipated, likely due to the dry and hard nature of the runway surface. During this deceleration, the nose landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to veer toward the left. The impact resulted in damage to the propeller, engine cowlings, and the nose landing gear. The pilot escaped the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of deceleration and the mechanical response of the landing gear to the braking forces applied on the specific surface conditions of the Higham strip.