What happened
On 6 April 2018, a Socata TB10 Tobago, registration G-GOLF, was performing a private flight when it departed the runway at Fadmoor Airfield in Yorkshire. As the pilot approached the 18-metre wide grass Runway 02, an assessment of the windsock suggested a left crosswind of roughly 10 knots.
Upon touching down on the uphill slope, a sudden gust of wind lifted the aircraft's left wing, causing the plane to swing toward the right. The pilot, who had only one hand on the throttle at the time, could not maintain directional control. Consequently, the aircraft ran off the runway into a field of soft soil. The impact resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear and caused the propeller to strike the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation examined the environmental conditions and the pilot's decision-making during the approach. It was noted that the pilot had experience with the airfield but was less familiar with the alternative Runway 32. The investigation reviewed the aircraft's damage, which included the engine, propeller, nose landing gear, and lower engine cowling.
Findings
- The pilot may have misjudged the wind velocity via the windsock.
- A potential tailwind component may have resulted in a touchdown groundspeed higher than the pilot had calculated.
- Wind strength likely increased as the aircraft moved up the slope.
- The pilot failed to utilize the better-aligned Runway 32, which would have been more suitable for the wind conditions, despite being less familiar with that specific runway.