What happened
On August 29, 2021, a private VFR flight involving a Cessna TR1 82 RG, registration OY-TBC, ended in an accident at a private grass airfield near Sønder Felding. The flight originated from the pilot's own airfield.
During the approach to runway 06, the pilot had been informed by Billund ATC of wind conditions at 040 degrees and 10 knots. The pilot confirmed these conditions by observing nearby wind turbines. To account for the crosswind, the pilot maintained a leftward course correction. However, approximately 150 meters past the runway threshold, the aircraft entered the lee of a windbreak located along the northern edge of the runway. This sudden loss of wind component caused the aircraft to drift toward the left boundary of the airfield. The pilot was unable to correct the deviation before the left wingtip struck the windbreak, resulting in a left-hand groundloop. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and was destroyed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight path and environmental factors at the time of the landing. The airfield, a grass strip measuring approximately 460 meters by 23 meters, was subject to changing wind conditions due to local obstructions. The investigation established that the aircraft entered a zone of reduced wind due to a nearby treeline/windbreak, which disrupted the pilot's established wind correction.
Findings
- The aircraft entered the lee of a windbreak located along the northern boundary of the runway.
- The sudden disappearance of the crosswind component caused the aircraft to drift toward the left side of the runway.
- The pilot did not implement a corrective maneuver in time to prevent the left wingtip from striking the windbreak.