Introduction
On 1 May 2010, an Aeroprakt A22 Foxbat, registration G-CWTD, was involved in an accident during landing at Popham Airfield in Hampshire. The aircraft was on a private flight from Lechlade, Gloucestershire, and carried one pilot and one passenger. Neither occupant was injured.
Flight Details
The flight from Lechlade to Popham was uneventful. The weather conditions were fine with good visibility, a 12 mph south-westerly wind, and high cloud. The aircraft was powered by a single Rotax 912ULS piston engine and was manufactured in 2004.
Landing Sequence
A gyrocopter landed ahead of the accident aircraft on Runway 21. The approach was normal, but just before touchdown the right wing was slightly low. While correcting this, the pilot reported that his attention was drawn away from monitoring the aircraft's speed and towards the gyrocopter further down the runway. The left wing then dropped and impacted the ground at about the same time the left main gear struck the ground. The aircraft pivoted on the left wingtip and came to rest about 50 yards beyond the initial touchdown point. The left main gear and nose gear collapsed. Damage included the left main gear, nose gear, propeller, left wing, and underside of the engine.
Aftermath
The pilot turned off the ignition and fuel, and both occupants vacated the aircraft unaided. A photographer present at the airfield captured still images of the accident sequence. The pilot thought it likely that the wing drop was associated with stalling the wing. He did not consider any causal factors related to the aircraft's controls, engine, or the proximity of the gyrocopter.
The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence and was 74 years old, with 507 hours of flying experience, including 107 hours on type. He had flown 5 hours in the last 90 days and 5 hours in the last 28 days.