Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft involved was a P and M Aviation Quik R, registered G-CFDL, manufactured in 2008 (serial no: 8370). It was powered by a single Rotax 912ULS piston engine. The flight was a private trip from Wiltshire to Arclid Airfield, Cheshire, on 8 September 2014. The pilot, the sole occupant, held a National Private Pilot’s Licence and had 131 hours of flying experience, 95 hours of which were on type. The flight took place around 1255 hrs UTC.
Accident Sequence
Grass Runway 02 was in use, measuring 400 m with a slight downslope over its middle third. The wind was from 330° at about 7 kt. The pilot found his first approach too high for the unfamiliar runway and initiated a go-around. On the second approach, he began the flare over the first third of the runway. A microlight instructor observing from the ground noted the flare was too high and held too long. The aircraft lost speed and stalled from approximately 10 ft, impacting the ground on all three wheels. It bounced, then landed again on the nose landing gear, which collapsed. The collapsed nose gear apparently pulled the foot throttle cable, increasing engine rpm and causing the aircraft to veer right into adjacent pasture, where it rolled onto its side and stopped.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft sustained damage to the nosewheel suspension, the front of the trike, the propeller, and the wing. The pilot was not injured.
Pilot Observations
The pilot identified four factors he believed contributed to the accident: holding off too high and too long in the flare, unfamiliarity with the airfield, misjudgment of the landing flare due to the runway downslope, and discomfort and distraction from a full bladder after the long flight.