What happened
On 16 May 2019, a Mainair Rapier, registration G-MZIM, was performing a private flight from St. Angelo Airfield to Newtownards Airfield in Co. Down. The weather conditions at the time of the arrival were favorable, with visibility exceeding 10 km and an outside air temperature of 15°C.
As the pilot executed an overhead join for the grass runway 15, the aircraft encountered slight turbulence, though the approach remained manageable. However, immediately before or during the touchdown phase, the aircraft underwent a sudden leftward deviation. The pilot was unable to recover control of the aircraft, resulting in a collision with a fence situated parallel to the runway. The impact caused severe damage to the pod, main keel, and the wing. The pilot sustained one minor injury to his foot but managed to egress the aircraft unassisted.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examiner looked into the circumstances surrounding the sudden loss of directional control. The pilot noted that there were no visible obstacles struck immediately before or after touchdown that could have caused the deviation. While the pilot considered the possibility that wake turbulence from a preceding flex wing aircraft might have been a factor, he noted that a safe distance had been maintained between the two aircraft.