What happened
On 12 May 2001, a Hawker Sea Fury FB11, registration G-EEMV, was performing a local flight from Sywell Aerende. The pilot, who owned several historic tailwheel aircraft, had recently returned to flying the Sea Fury after a period of inactivity due to soft runway conditions at the airfield. During the landing approach on Runway 03, the aircraft touched down beyond the intersection with Runway 07, maintaining a horizontal fuselage attitude rather than a three-point stance.
As the aircraft progressed down the runway, it failed to settle into a stable position, instead experiencing a series of skips. The aircraft began to drift toward the left edge of the runway, where the grass surface was notably softer and more uneven. The landing run ended when the aircraft encountered deep ruts and undulations in the turf, which significantly increased resistance. This sudden drag caused the aircraft to pitch forward, striking the propeller on the ground before flipping completely onto its back. Despite the rapid response of airfield emergency services, the pilot was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation
Investigators examined the runway surface and identified tyre tracks that showed the aircraft had been bouncing and drifting leftward. They discovered that the wheels had penetrated the turf by as much as 15 cm in certain areas. This was exacerbated by longitudinal drainage cuts in the grass, which the tyres had pushed into, further increasing rolling resistance.
Technical examination of the aircraft's braking system, which had been modified with parts from an F102 jet, revealed no mechanical failure or malfunction that would have caused the accident. While the right wheel showed signs of locking, investigators concluded this was a symptom of the nose-over rather than the cause. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's elevator would have been aerodynamically ineffective at the low ground speeds recorded, leaving the pilot with no way to recover once the pitch-down sequence began.
Findings
- The aircraft touched down with excess speed and failed to reach a stable three-point attitude.
- The aircraft encountered soft ground and deep ruts in the runway surface, which significantly increased wheel drag.
- The increased resistance created a destabilizing moment that caused the aircraft to nose over irretrievably.
- The aircraft's speed at the time of the nose-over was estimated between 40 and 50 knots, making the elevator ineffective for recovery.