What happened
On 25 July 2003, an Auster J5B Autocar, registration G-AXMN, was engaged in a private flight from Eggesford to Paris. The pilot initially delayed the departure to wait for a weather front to clear the area. Following takeoff, the flight path required several re-routes due to deteriorating weather conditions.
While flying toward Shoreham, the aircraft encountered heavy rain. The pilot subsequently decided to perform a precautionary landing in a large field near Heathfield, East Sussex. During the final approach to the field, the aircraft experienced a significant increase in lift. In response, the pilot initiated a go-around procedure; however, the aircraft exhibited an extremely poor rate of climb. Consequently, the go-around was aborted, and the pilot proceeded to land in an adjacent field. During the subsequent landing roll, the right landing gear collapsed, causing the propeller to strike the ground and the aircraft to rotate around its nose before coming to a stop. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight sequence and the environmental conditions encountered during the approach. The pilot reported encountering windshear during both the final approach and the attempted go-around. This phenomenon was believed to have caused a substantial updraft during the approach and a subsequent downdraft that hindered the aircraft's ability to climb during the go-around attempt.