Incident Overview
On 22 June 2003 at approximately 1045 UTC, a Jabiru SK aircraft, registration G-BYNL, was involved in a runway excursion at Tatenhill Airfield, Staffordshire, during a private flight. The single pilot was uninjured, and the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, spinner, and engine cowling. The aircraft was powered by one Jabiru Aircraft Pty 2200A piston engine and had been manufactured in 1999.
Flight Sequence
The aircraft was departing from Runway 08 on a flight to Retford (Gamston). During the latter stage of the take-off roll, the pilot observed that the indicated airspeed was lower than expected given the apparent groundspeed and the engine's satisfactory operation. The pilot decided to continue the takeoff due to insufficient remaining runway to safely abort.
Once airborne, the pilot maintained full engine power and a shallow climb to ensure a safe margin above stall speed. He turned downwind into a left-hand circuit and informed the airfield air/ground radio operator of the apparent instrument malfunction and his intention to land back on Runway 08.
On final approach, the pilot assessed the surface wind as near the aircraft's crosswind limit. At about 50 feet above the runway threshold, the flap lever, set to the landing position, slipped out of its detent, causing a sudden drop. The pilot initiated a go-around. While positioning for the next circuit, he was advised that the wind direction was now straight down Runway 04, so he requested an approach to that runway.
Using a combination of engine power and aircraft attitude, the pilot flew the approach at a speed he estimated to be faster than normal. During the early approach, his GPS indicated a groundspeed between 50 and 60 knots. In the final stages, the pilot observed from the airfield windsock that the surface wind had veered to approximately 080 degrees. Due to the extra speed, the aircraft touched down about halfway down the runway, and the pilot had to contend with a significant crosswind from the right. With tall trees ahead, the pilot was committed to landing but realized he would not stop within the remaining runway, and a five-bar metal gate lay beyond. To avoid the gate, he turned left, and the aircraft entered a hawthorn hedge at about 10 knots before stopping abruptly. There was no fire, and the pilot exited normally.
Examination and Findings
Subsequent inspection of the pitot tube revealed that its inlet was blocked by a thin film of dried mud, and a further obstruction inside the tube was identified as the work of an egg-laying wasp. These obstructions had not been noticed when the pilot removed the pitot cover during the pre-flight inspection. The aircraft had last flown on 8 June; after that flight, the pitot cover had been left off for about one week before being replaced by the pilot who had flown the aircraft. It is likely that the wasp entered the pitot tube during this period.
Pilot Comments
The pilot remarked that he should have aborted his second approach and landed on Runway 08, which would have been more into the wind. However, he was concerned that his continued presence in the circuit inconvenienced another aircraft holding to the south and that the airfield fire vehicle was on standby, which contributed to pressure to expedite the landing. The pilot concluded that refitting the pitot cover when the aircraft is not being flown would prevent similar blockages, and the incident underscores the importance of checking the pitot tube for obstructions during pre-flight inspection.