What happened
On 14 July 2001, a Falco F8L, registration G-BWYO, was returning to its home airfield at Flamstone Farm, near Salisbury, following a landaway. The airfield features a 600-metre north/south mown strip that slopes upwards towards the north. At the time of the incident, the surrounding agricultural land contained oil-seed rape crops approximately one metre in height, situated right at the edge of the runway.
During the approach, the pilot elected to land on the northerly runway based on calm wind reports from a nearby radio station. While the approach itself was normal, the aircraft bounced upon touchdown. In an attempt to cushion the subsequent impact, the pilot applied a small amount of power. During this bounce, the aircraft drifted toward the left side of the runway. The left wing made contact with the adjacent oil-seed rape, which pulled the wing downward and initiated a sudden, violent ground loop. The aircraft rotated 180 degrees before coming to a rapid stop. The intensity of the forces during this maneuver caused the rear fuselage to detach just behind the cockpit canopy. Both the pilot and the passenger, who were secured in five-point harnesses, exited the aircraft without injuries.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the runway conditions, the state of the surrounding crops, and the sequence of events following the touchdown. The assessment focused on the impact of the vegetation on the aircraft's flight path and the subsequent structural failure of the fuselage.