What happened
On 7 July 2003, a Denney Kitfox Mk 3, registration G-BUPW, was performing a private flight at Kemble Airfield in Gloucestershire. Upon touching down on the grass runway 27, the pilot experienced a sudden drop in the right wing accompanied by a rightward yaw.
In an attempt to recover the aircraft, the pilot applied flying controls but found the rightward swing could not be corrected. The pilot then initiated a go-around procedure. However, applying full power increased the intensity of the yaw. As the aircraft completed a 180-degree turn, the right landing gear collapsed, causing the right wing tip to impact the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot, and the aircraft sustained damage to the landing gear and the right wing tip.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The AAIB examined the sequence of the touchdown and the subsequent application of power during the go-around. The investigation established that the aircraft's movement was characterized by an unmanageable swing to the right immediately following touchdown, which was intensified by the use of full power during the aborted landing attempt.