What happened
On 22 March 2015, a Luscombe 8A Silvaire, registration G-BVGW, was conducting a private flight from Abbots Bromley Airfield to Shifnal Airfield. The weather conditions were clear with good visibility and light winds. Upon arrival at Shifnal, the pilot attempted to land on the grass runway 10. Due to trees obscuring the runway and difficulty identifying power lines on the approach, the pilot performed a go-around after a hard touchdown.
A second approach attempt was also aborted because the pilot became too displaced from the runway centerline. During the third attempt, while flying a right-hand circuit, the pilot noticed the controls were becoming less responsive and sensed the aircraft was nearing a stall. Despite lowering the nose and adding power, the left wing dropped abruptly, causing the aircraft to impact the ground. The aircraft remained upright following the impact, and the pilot, who sustained no injuries, was able to secure the aircraft before exiting.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence and the environmental challenges at Shifcal Airfield. It was noted that the pilot was accustomed to standard circuit heights of 1,000 ft, whereas Shifnal utilizes a lower circuit height of 500 ft. The investigators also looked into the visibility of the runway environment, noting that trees and power lines near the threshold made it difficult to maintain visual contact with the runway during the approach.
Findings
- The pilot's attempt to descend early, before clearly identifying the runway, contributed to the difficulty in maintaining the approach.
- The aircraft's left wing stalled, likely exacerbated by the use of ailerons near the point of stall.
- The pilot's familiarity with the aircraft's otherwise stable flight characteristics may have led to an underestimation of the risks during a low-level approach.