Accident Overview
On 12 February 2001 at 1315 UTC, a Jabiru SK (registration G-BYCZ) sustained damage during a landing accident at Fishburn Airfield, County Durham. The aircraft was conducting a private pleasure flight with only the pilot on board. The pilot, aged 47, held a Private Pilot's Licence and had accumulated 345 hours total flying experience, with 24 hours on type. His recent flying included 6 hours in the last 90 days and 2 hours in the last 28 days.
Flight and Landing
The pilot planned a short flight from Fishburn. Weather conditions were good with clear skies and a surface wind of approximately 350°/8 kt. The flight proceeded without incident for about an hour before returning to Fishburn for landing on grass Runway 26. The approach was uneventful, and the pilot used the wing-down technique to counter the crosswind. During touchdown, gusting conditions caused the pilot to overcorrect, resulting in landing on the right wheel first. The aircraft immediately slewed to the north and rapidly departed from the 30-metre-wide runway, entering a ploughed field to the right of the runway.
Post-Accident Observations
Upon entering the field, the nosewheel dug into soft earth, causing the aircraft to overturn. The pilot, who was wearing a lap and shoulder strap, made the aircraft safe and exited uninjured. Damage included both wing ends split, the front of the landing gear bent, and a bent strut. Runway 26 at Fishburn has a pronounced upslope. Subsequent inspection of the Runway 26 threshold revealed that the area was very soft and wet.
Probable Cause
The pilot considered that the cause of the accident was a combination of the soft landing area and landing right wheel first in gusty conditions.