What happened
On 12 April 2014, an Isaacs Fury II Fury, registration G-AYJY, was performing a private flight at Exeter Airport, Devon. Following two unsuccessful landing attempts on the asphalt Runway 26, the pilot attempted a third touchdown. At the time, air traffic control had advised the pilot of wind conditions measuring 10 knots from a direction between 260º and 330º.
As the aircraft made contact with the runway, the right wing began to lift after the pilot reduced the throttle. In an effort to execute a go-around, the pilot applied power; however, the aircraft subsequently lost directional control and drifted toward the right-hand side of the runway onto the grass verge. During this excursion, the left wheel became embedded in the turf, causing the aircraft to rotate around the left wheel and pitch forward onto its nose. The incident resulted in the aircraft coming to rest with the left lower and right upper wing leading edges contacting the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, wingtips, and left wheel.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot and further enquiries. Investigators examined the sequence of the landing and the pilot's subsequent actions to regain control. The pilot noted that he believed the application of right aileron was insufficient during the landing phase, which contributed to the loss of control.
Findings
- The aircraft veered off the runway due to a loss of directional control.
- The pilot's attempt to initiate a go-around coincided with the aircraft's right wing lifting.
- The left wheel's interaction with the grass surface caused the aircraft to pitch forward.