What happened
On 23 May 2012, a Jabiru J430, registration G-RDCO, was conducting a private flight from Sleap Airfield in Shropshire to Binstead Airstrip on the Isle of Wight. The aircraft was operated by a single pilot with no passengers on board. Prior to departure, the pilot had ensured the fuel tanks were full to allow for a return trip without further refueling.
Upon approaching the north-south oriented grass strip at Binstead, the pilot noted a light surface wind of less than 5 knots. Although the strip owner had suggested a northerly landing direction was preferable, the pilot could not verify the specific wind direction due to the absence of a windsock or similar indicators at the airfield. During the landing sequence, the aircraft failed to stop within the 400 m runway, overrunning the end of the strip by approximately 10 m. The aircraft subsequently entered a field of crop stubble, resulting in damage to the landing gear.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry examined the landing conditions at Binstead Airstrip and the aircraft's performance during the final approach and rollout. It was noted that the pilot had previously landed at this location on three occasions, always in a southerly direction.
Findings
- The pilot was unable to determine the wind direction because there was no windsock or other wind-indicating device available at the airstrip.
- The aircraft overran the end of the grass runway by roughly 10 metres.
- The primary cause of the incident was the inability to stop the aircraft within the available runway length.