What happened
On 8 May 2016, a Vans RV-6A, registration G-TOGO, was performing a private flight from Andrewsfield Airfield in Essex. While the aircraft was accelerating along the grass Runway 09 Right, it struck an unseen object on the airfield surface. The impact caused the nose of the aircraft to pitch downward before pitching back up as it passed over the obstruction.
At the time of the encounter, the aircraft was performing normally and the pilot decided to proceed with the takeoff. Upon returning to the airfield and landing, an inspection revealed that the nose landing gear leg had been bent and the associated fairings were damaged. Debris, specifically grass and earth, was found embedded within the torn fibreglass components of the fairings. The pilot suggested the aircraft might have struck a shallow gully or a rabbit hole.
The investigation
Following the incident, the aerodrome authority conducted a thorough inspection of the runway surface. This inspection failed to identify any significant surface irregularities or holes in the area where the encounter occurred. Furthermore, the investigation noted that several other aircraft had operated on the same section of the runway both prior to and following the departure of G-TOGO, with no other pilots reporting any issues or surface defects.