What happened
On 2 June 2018, a Jodel D120 Paris-Nice, registration G-DIZO, was conducting a private flight from a farm strip near Southampton to Dunkeswell Aerodrome in Devon to attend an LAA fly-in event. The weather at the time of the arrival was favorable, characterized by good visibility and a light headwind.
As the aircraft approached Runway 22, the pilot executed a three-point landing at a speed of roughly 40 knots. During the subsequent roll-out, the aircraft began to deviate from the runway centerline toward the right. The pilot attempted to maintain direction by applying left and then right rudder; however, the deviation continued until the aircraft had turned 180 degrees. During this excursion, the left landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to come to rest with its left wingtip embedded in the grass. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation, based on the pilot's accident report and subsequent inquiries, examined the pilot's control inputs and recent flying history. The investigation established that the pilot initially applied left rudder to correct the drift but then applied excessive right rudder. The pilot noted that his reaction time in managing the rudder pedals was insufficient to maintain the aircraft's path on the runway.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a collapse of the left landing gear and damage to the left wing.
- The pilot's control inputs were inconsistent, specifically involving excessive right rudder application following an initial correction attempt.
- The pilot's ability to maintain directional control was hindered by a lack of recent flying experience, having flown limited hours during the preceding winter months.
- The pilot identified that a loss of focus occurred due to relaxing his concentration too early in the landing sequence.