What happened
On 24 August 2001, a Europa, registration G-DURO, was conducting a private flight when it encountered difficulties during the landing phase at Exeter Airfield. The pilot had entered the landing circuit and was flying a left-hand downwind pattern for Runway 26. During the final approach, the aircraft maintained a speed of approximately 60 kt under CAVOK weather conditions, with surface winds recorded at 200/5-10 kt.
While the initial touchdown was normal, the aircraft's speed decreased during the landing roll. At this low velocity, a sudden gust of wind caused the aircraft to veer to the left and subsequently to the right. Because the aircraft was traveling at such a low speed, the pilot had insufficient aileron and rudder authority to counteract the movement. Consequently, the aircraft drifted off the right-hand edge of the runway. As the aircraft transitioned from the paved surface onto the grass, the nose pitched forward, causing the propeller to strike the ground.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the aircraft's behavior during the landing roll and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. It was established that there were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger. Following the impact, the crew successfully deactivated the electrical power and exited the aircraft via the standard exits. The investigation confirmed that the damage was limited to the propeller.