What happened
On 1 August 2014, a Pegasus Quantum 15, registration G-MYZK, was completing a local training flight at a farm airstrip near Wheatley Hill, Co Durham. The weather conditions at the time were characterized by showers, leaving the grass surfaces of the airstrip wet. The aircraft was landing in an easterly direction, encountering a light southwest wind that provided a slight tailwind.
Following a standard landing, the aircraft began to decelerate on the grass. During the rollout, the instructor directed the student pilot to engage the wheel brakes. Because the braking mechanism is only accessible to the occupant in the front seat, the student applied them. Upon application, the microlight entered a skid and drifted off the right-hand boundary of the prepared landing area. The aircraft subsequently entered a ditch running adjacent to the strip and tipped forward onto its nose. While the fuselage pod and wing sustained moderate damage, there were no injuries to the two crew members on board.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the loss of directional control. The investigation focused on the interaction between the braking application, the surface conditions of the airstrip, and the aircraft's behavior during the landing roll. The pilot reported that the instructor had instructed the student to use the brakes as the aircraft slowed down.