What happened
On 15 July 2012, an Ikarus C42 FB80, registration G-SFLB, was performing a private flight at Lower Upham Airfield in Hampshire. The aircraft was approaching Runway 04, which is a 570 m, uphill, grass runway, under calm wind conditions. The runway surface was noted to be wet.
During the approach, the pilot was positioned slightly higher than the intended glide path. To compensate for this altitude, the pilot increased the rate of descent by sideslipping the aircraft. Witnesses observed the aircraft appearing high and fast on its approach. The aircraft touched down heavily approximately halfway down the runway, bouncing twice before settling on a heading roughly 20° to the left of the runway centerline.
Following a short ground roll, the pilot applied increased engine power to initiate a go-around. During this maneuver, the aircraft stalled and just cleared a hedge situated along the left edge of the runway. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground in a nose-down attitude in a field on the opposite side of the hedge. The impact caused substantial damage to the engine and propeller, as well as damage to the fuselage, landing gear, and left wing. The pilot sustained a minor injury to the back, while the passenger remained uninjured.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the circumstances surrounding the flight and the sequence of events leading to the stall. The investigation focused on the pilot's approach technique, the aircraft's behavior during the touchdown, and the subsequent attempt to climb during the go-around.