Aircraft and Pilot
The aircraft involved was an Ikarus C42 FB UK, registered G-EGGI, manufactured in 2002. It was powered by a single Rotax 912 ULS piston engine. The pilot, aged 81, held a Private Pilot’s Licence and had accumulated 475 flying hours, of which 250 were on type. His recent flying experience included 8 hours in the last 90 days and 1 hour in the last 28 days.
Runway and Conditions
Bitteswell Farm Strip, located near Lutterworth, Leicestershire, has a single grass runway oriented 13/31. The runway is 300 m long and 20 m wide, with a 200 m overrun across a cattle grid on Runway 13. The upwind end of Runway 31 terminates with a hedge approximately 5 ft high, situated between taller hedges of 40-50 ft on either side. Visibility was good, with no significant cloud or weather. The windsock indicated a light and variable wind, mainly from the southeast. The surface temperature was high, but the actual temperature at the field was not observed or recorded by the pilot.
Flight Sequence
The pilot planned to fly circuits at the strip. After a normal takeoff from Runway 31, the aircraft encountered severe turbulence and gusting winds at around 100-300 ft. The pilot decided to return immediately. He flew a right-hand circuit at 500-600 ft and selected full flap while established on final approach for Runway 31. Maintaining an accurate approach speed of 50 kt proved difficult in the gusty conditions.
The aircraft touched down at about the normal position on the runway. The pilot realized the groundspeed was excessive, possibly due to a slight tailwind component. Applying the wheel brakes had no apparent effect. Believing the aircraft would overrun the runway and strike the end hedge, the pilot applied full power for a go-around, confident that adequate distance remained to clear the hedge. The aircraft lifted off, but when approximately 60 m from the hedge, it began tracking to the right, towards the taller hedge. The pilot was unable to correct the situation, and the aircraft impacted the high hedge at a height of about 25 ft. The aircraft came to an abrupt halt and descended relatively gently onto a cushion of hedge material. The pilot, uninjured, switched off the fuel and electrical systems and vacated through the normal exit.
Analysis
The turbulent and gusty wind conditions were not apparent to the pilot until he became airborne. These conditions made maintaining an accurate approach speed difficult, resulting in excessive groundspeed during the landing roll. Had the aircraft not tracked to the right during the go-around—probably caused by a strong gust of wind—it would have cleared the lower hedge. The pilot considered that, given the difficult approach and gusting wind moving him toward the tall hedge, he should have initiated the go-around earlier. He also noted that using the GPS navigation system, which was not switched on, could have provided groundspeed information during the approach, serving as an early indicator for the need for a go-around.