What happened
On 6 September 2007, a private flight involving an EV-97 Team Eurostar, registration G-CESF, arrived at a short grass airstrip near Saddington, Leicester and decided to perform a touch-and-go maneuver. The airstrip was approximately 300 metres long with a firm, dry surface. Following a successful touch-and-go on Runway 04, the pilot attempted to land on the runway left.
During the landing roll, the pilot did not immediately engage the brakes. When braking was eventually applied, the aircraft failed to slow down. In an attempt to increase deceleration, the pilot steered the aircraft into an adjacent field of short grass. However, the aircraft continued moving at a speed of between 20 and 25 knots, eventually entering a ditch. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, and no fire occurred, though the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, both wings, and the landing gear.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft and the ground markings at the scene. The marks left on the runway and the field confirmed that the pilot had applied the brakes during the incident. A subsequent inspection of the G-CESF revealed that the engine throttle was partially open at the time of the accident. While the throttle and its friction lever were found to be fully operational, the investigation considered the possibility that the friction lever had loosened during the landing roll or prior to it, allowing engine power to increase sufficiently to counteract the braking force.