What happened
On 19 October 2010, an Auster 5 Alpha, registration G-AOFJ, was conducting a private flight from Oaksey Park to Haverfordwest. During the final approach to Runway 27, the pilot maintained a configuration of full flaps, accounting for a crosswind of approximately 5 to 10 kt. The initial touchdown was described as a light three-point landing near the runway centerline.
Following this contact, the aircraft bounced, rolling for approximately 10 to 20 metres before leaving the ground a second time. During this phase, a gust of wind caused the aircraft to drift to the left of the runway. Upon the third contact with the ground, the aircraft landed on the grass area to the left of the asphalt. This final touchdown resulted in the collapse of the right landing gear and caused damage to the propeller. The pilot, who was wearing a four-point harness, escaped the incident without injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the weather conditions reported by the pilot versus the actual recorded data at Haverfordwest. While the pilot believed the wind was 300º at 10 kt, gusting 20 kt, air-ground radio records from 1400 hrs indicated much stronger conditions, with winds from 345º at 15 to 18 kt, gusting up to 25 kt. The pilot noted that the windsock appeared horizontal during the approach, suggesting stronger winds than initially anticipated, and suggested that the full extent of the wind variation might not have been communicated or was misheard.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a bounced landing followed by a third touchdown on the grass.
- A gust of wind caused the aircraft to drift left of the runway centerline during the landing sequence.
- The strong crosswind was a significant factor in the aircraft's movement and subsequent gear failure.