What happened
On 9 December 2005, a Europa aircraft, registration G-SYCO, was performing a private flight at Draycott Farm, located near Swindon, Wiltshire. The aircraft was attempting to land on Runway 18, a grass strip measuring 700 metres in length. The weather conditions at the time were favorable, featuring good visibility and light winds, though the runway surface was noted to be damp.
Due to the presence of farm buildings near the approach path, the pilot executed a curved approach to the runway. During the landing sequence, the aircraft bounced upon contact with the ground. As the aircraft touched down for a second time, the right landing gear leg failed just above the wheel axle. This failure caused the gear leg to dig into the runway surface, resulting in a ground loop that brought the aircraft to a halt.
There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger on board. The impact caused a fracture in the rear fuselage and damage to the right landing gear leg.
The investigation
The investigation examined the mechanical failure of the landing gear and the circumstances of the landing. It was noted that the aircraft's landing configuration, specifically the selection of full flaps, was normal. The pilot suggested that the uphill nature of the landing roll, combined with the specific handling characteristics of the aircraft type and the uneven, damp grass surface, may have influenced the severity of the bounce and subsequent gear failure.