What happened
On 4 August 2005, an Extra EA300, registration D-EZOZ, was participating in a nine-aircraft formation flight over Stonehenge, Wiltshire. The aircraft was the fourth in the sequence and was scheduled to land fourth at Wing Farm, a 500-metre grass airstrip. Following the landing of the preceding three aircraft, the pilot began the final approach to Runway 27.
To manage the approach speed and improve forward visibility, the pilot employed a side-slip technique. Upon completing the slip and initiating the flare, the aircraft touched down on the tail wheel prior to the main landing gear. The impact of the touchdown caused the right main landing gear to break. As the aircraft continued along the runway, the broken gear dug into the grass, forcing the aircraft to yaw right and slide to a rapid halt. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
Following the incident, the pilot moved the aircraft away from the active runway to ensure the remaining formation could land safely. An inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to the propeller blades, the underside of the wings, and the fuselage. The engine also sustained a shock-load.
A repair agency assessed the structural damage and determined that the right main landing gear had completely detached. The investigation also noted damage to the left main landing gear. The agency highlighted that while the maintenance schedule includes routine visual inspections of the landing gear, there were no records of recent routine load testing.