What happened
On 6 May 2013, a DynAero MCR-01 VLA Sportster, registration G-MCRO, was performing a private flight at Newton Peverill Airfield in Dorset. During the landing phase on the east-west oriented grass strip, the aircraft began to skid towards standing crops located to the west of the runway.
In an attempt to regain directional control, the pilot stopped braking. However, the subsequent application of braking was insufficient to stop the aircraft before it reached the end of the 461-metre runway. The aircraft approached the terminus at an excessive speed. As the pilot steered the aircraft to the left toward a recently cut turning area, a second skid occurred. This maneuver caused the right wingtip to strike a hedge situated at the edge of the airstrip, resulting in significant structural damage to the aircraft. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation examined the runway conditions and the pilot's actions during the landing roll. The weather was noted as warm and fine, with a light southerly wind of 5 knots or less, meaning there was no significant headwind component. The investigation reviewed the aircraft's movement across the grass surface, specifically the transition from the runway to the turning area and the subsequent contact with the hedge.