What happened
On 30 June 2012, a Jabiru J430, registration G-HJZN, was performing a private flight from Kenyon Hall Airstrip in Cheshire. The pilot had previously flown the aircraft three times from the same location earlier that day, carrying various passengers. During the final departure, the pilot elected to take off in a north-easterly direction under light south-westerly winds.
Although the aircraft achieved liftoff before reaching the midpoint of the runway, it began to drift toward the left side of the strip. In an attempt to correct the flight path, the pilot applied right bank; however, the left wing subsequently made contact with trees adjacent to the airfield. This impact caused the aircraft to yaw sharply to the left, leading to a nose-down attitude of approximately 45 degrees as it settled into a ditch. The aircraft came to rest on crushed branches, and while a tree limb broke the windscreen, the pilot and the single passenger escaped through the doors without injury.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the flight conditions and the sequence of the departure. The pilot noted that the weather was showery with light winds at the time of the accident. The investigation also considered the possibility of unexpected wind variations affecting the aircraft's stability immediately after rotation.