What happened
On 6 June 2008, an Ikarus C42 FB, registration G-CLIF, was conducting a private flight near Newton Pevril Airfield in Dorset. The pilot joined the base leg for the easterly runway, under the impression that the wind was blowing across the runway. Upon touching down approximately one-third of the way along the runway, the pilot realized the aircraft was actually facing a tailwind, leaving insufficient distance to come to a stop.
To avoid the runway end, the pilot initiated a go-around procedure using full flaps. During the maneuver, the pilot identified cables crossing the far end of the runway. In an attempt to clear these obstacles, the pilot turned the aircraft to the right. During this turn, the propeller struck the upper canopy of a row of trees located at the southern edge of the field, at an altitude between 2/ft and 30ft. Despite the impact, the aircraft maintained a marginal climb and the pilot successfully performed an elective landing in a field beyond the tree line. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination established that the aircraft sustained damage to the fuselage, the right landing gear, and a broken propeller. The investigation focused on the pilot's assessment of the wind conditions and the subsequent decision-making during the go-around maneuver.
Findings
- The pilot misidentified the wind direction, believing it to be a crosswind when it was actually a tailwind.
- The pilot's decision to turn right to avoid cables placed the aircraft in a flight path that intersected with the tree line.
- The pilot's failure to correctly identify the tailwind was attributed to a relaxed attitude, as the pilot had previously landed at the airfield many times without encountering difficulties.