What happened
On 23 September 2000, a Denney Kitfox MK2, registration G-HUTT, was conducting a private flight when the pilot decided to divert from the intended destination of Lyvden. This decision was prompted by unfavorable crosswind conditions at the original destination.
The aircraft diverted to Sywell Airfield in Northamptonshire, where a south-easterly wind of 11 knots was reported. Utilizing Runway 21, the pilot initially attempted an approach but chose to discontinue it due to the challenging crosswind component. A second approach was subsequently performed successfully; however, during the subsequent ground roll, the aircraft veered to the right. Despite the pilot's attempts to correct the deviation using left rudder, the aircraft entered a ground loop. The incident resulted in damage to the left main landing gear, the propeller, and the left wing tip. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination established that the pilot had limited experience with the specific aircraft type, having completed only 32 hours of his total 450 flying hours on the Denney Kitfox MK2. The investigation noted that this was the pilot's first experience performing a crosswind landing in this particular aircraft.