What happened
On 22 April 2013, a BRM Citius, registration I-9631, was conducting a private ferry flight from Exeter to Haverfordwest. The aircraft was part of a two-plane formation being relocated from Italy to Ireland. During the flight, the weather conditions ahead of the aircraft deteriorated significantly. While the initial visibility exceeded 10 km with a cloud base between 1,200 and 1,500 ft, reports from Swansea Airport indicated visibility had dropped to between 3,000 m and 4,000 m, with the cloud base lowering to as little as 400 ft.
As the weather worsened, the only visible landmarks were the coastline and the sea. The pilot decided to land at Swansea Airport to wait for better conditions, but the visibility continued to reduce rapidly. After descending to below 200 ft and following the coast, the pilot identified a suitable area for a forced landing on a beach. The pilot chose a large area of open ground that was being prepared for a new university campus.
The investigation
Investigators examined the site of the landing and the aircraft's condition following the impact. The pilot had flown over the landing site to ensure it was safe before committing to the maneuver. During the touchdown, the nose landing gear struck a surface obstacle, specifically a rock or ridge. This impact caused the gear to buckle, which subsequently swung the aircraft into a bank.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the fuselage, propeller, right wingtip, and landing gear.
- There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
- The primary cause of the landing gear failure was the impact with a surface obstacle during the forced landing.