What happened
On 9 July 2018, a private flight was approaching Runway 24 at Goodwood Aerodrome, Sussex. The pilot, who was returning to the airfield following a landing at a different location, observed that the intended touchdown point would be on or slightly before a section of worn grass. Although the surface was flat and appropriate for landing, the pilot applied additional power to ensure the aircraft would land past the patch.
This increase in power resulted in a higher approach speed than originally intended. In an attempt to reduce this speed, the pilot moved the control stick aft, which caused the aircraft to become light on its wheels. Simultaneously, the pilot applied steering to compensate for a crosswind from the left. These factors caused the RAF 2000 GTX-SE, registration G-CCUH, to swerve and tilt onto its side. During the maneuver, both the rotor and the propeller struck the ground, leading to violent movement before the aircraft came to rest on its left side. The pilot sustained one serious injury and was unable to exit the cockpit without help from emergency responders.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing attempt, the pilot's inputs, and the environmental conditions, including the crosswind. The investigation also noted the pilot's personal reflection that additional flight instruction might have been beneficial to his overall flying proficiency.