What happened
On 20 July 2018, a Piper J5A Cub Cruiser, registration G-BSXT, was performing a check flight at Felthorpe Airfield near Norwich. The aircraft had recently undergone significant repairs following a previous landing accident. The pilot, who had performed much of the repair work, intended to complete several circuits and landings to verify the aircraft's systems and stability.
During the flight, the pilot attempted two approaches but elected to go around due to excessive height and speed. On the third attempt, the pilot decided to land. However, because the pilot had intentionally selected a landing speed significantly higher than recommended to provide a safety margin, the aircraft floated for a long distance. The aircraft touched down approximately halfway along the 487 m runway.
Despite applying full braking, the aircraft could not stop within the remaining distance. In an attempt to avoid a hedge and a public road, the pilot attempted to ground loop the aircraft to the right. During this maneuver, the aircraft struck a gate, causing damage to the right wing and the left rear fuselage.