What happened
On 15 November 2005, a Diamond HK 36 TC, registration G-OSFA, was conducting a private flight near Enstone Airfield, Oxfordshire. While performing a local flight, the pilot attempted to execute a go-around from the west at approximately 800 ft agl. During the base leg of the circuit, the aircraft encountered significant turbulence, which the pilot noted was stronger than the forecasted crosswind.
As the aircraft turned onto the final approach, the turbulence persisted. During the late stages of this approach, the aircraft entered a particularly violent area of turbulence characterized by a strong downdraft. This impact caused the nose landing gear to fail and resulted in cracking to the aircraft's fibreglass structure.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examiner reviewed the flight conditions and the pilot's experience. The pilot, who held a National Private Pilot’s Licence and had 631 total flying hours, noted that the intensity of the turbulence was comparable to the 'curl-over' effects experienced during previous mountain flying operations in Scotland, Wales, and Italy. The investigation focused on the sequence of the go-around and the impact of the atmospheric conditions on the aircraft's landing gear integrity.