What happened
On 27 July 2014, a Vans RV-9A, registration G-CDRV, was performing a private flight at Langham Airfield in Norfolk. During the landing phase on Runway 02, the pilot executed what was perceived as a standard approach and touchdown.
As the aircraft began to decelerate along the grass strip, the pilot steered toward the left boundary of the usable landing area in an attempt to avoid visible molehills located near the center of the runway. While taxiing at a speed slightly above normal, the aircraft experienced a sudden yaw to the left. The pilot was unable to counteract this movement, causing the left mainwheel to exit the runway and sink into a deep trough within an adjacent cornfield. This movement pulled the nosewheel into the same depression, resulting in the aircraft pitching forward. The impact caused the propeller and the right wing to strike the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the aircraft's movement on the grass surface and the terrain adjacent to the runway. The examination established that the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, the nose landing gear leg, and the right wing and its attachment points.