What happened
On 22 April 2005, a Jabiru SK, registration G-BYNL, was conducting a short airtest following engine maintenance at Slinfold (Welcross Farm) Airstrip in West Sussex. The weather conditions were favorable, with good visibility and a cloud base of 2,500 feet.
After an initial departure from Runway 22, the pilot climbed to 1,500 feet before returning to the airfield. During the first approach, the pilot performed a go-around due to grass-cutting activities on the runway. Following the clearance of the machinery, the pilot opted to land on Runway 04. During this second approach, the pilot utilized full flaps to correct a high approach angle and noted a higher than normal groundspeed.
Upon touchdown near the midpoint of the runway, the aircraft began to skid on the freshly mown grass. The aircraft drifted toward the left side of the runway, where the left main landing gear entered a shallow drainage ditch. This caused the wing and fuselage to impact fence posts adjacent to the runway, and the propeller struck the ground, resulting in the engine stopping. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of the pilot's decision-making regarding runway selection and the environmental conditions at the time of landing. Investigators looked into the aircraft's movement on the grass surface and the impact with the perimeter infrastructure.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, the left wing, and the left side of the fuselage.
- The pilot failed to re-check the windsock upon returning to the airfield, meaning the 30-degree shift in wind direction was not accounted for.
- A tailwind component during the approach to Runway 04 resulted in a landing further down the runway than intended.
- The necessity of heavy braking to stop before the runway end contributed to the loss of directional control on the slippery, newly mown grass.