What happened
On 14 December 1997, a Europa Aviation Europa, registration G-BWNL, was conducting a permit-to-test flight at Fishburn Airfield, County Durham. The purpose of the flight was to calibrate the aircraft's airspeed indicator. During the landing phase on the grass runway 08, the pilot experienced a touchdown at an excessive airspeed.
Following the initial contact, the aircraft bounced twice and began drifting toward the left side of the runway. In an attempt to correct the track, the pilot applied rudder, which resulted in a sideslip to the left even as the aircraft continued toward the right side of the runway. The pilot then applied full power in an attempt to execute a go-around. During this maneuver, the right wing stalled, causing the aircraft to depart the right side of the runway with the right outrigger wheel in contact with the ground. The main wheel subsequently struck the surface with significant sideslip, resulting in extensive damage to the engine mounting and the fuselage.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing attempt, the pilot's control inputs, and the environmental conditions at the time of the event. The surface wind was recorded as being from 350° at 3 knots. The crew, consisting of two individuals, were both wearing full safety harnesses and escaped the incident without injury.