Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft involved was a Jabiru SK, registration G-MITT, powered by a single Jabiru Aircraft Pty 2200A piston engine. It was manufactured in 2000. The flight was private, with only the pilot on board.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a Private Pilot's Licence and was 50 years old. His total flying experience was 380 hours, of which only 1 hour was on the Jabiru SK type. In the last 90 days he had flown 19 hours, and in the last 28 days, 7 hours. He also owned a Cessna 182 and had experience with other light aircraft.
Flight History
Earlier that day, the pilot collected G-MITT from Henstridge Airfield for its new owner. After receiving a briefing, he flew to Top Farm in his first flight on the type, which lasted one hour and five minutes and was uneventful. Upon arrival, he shut down the aircraft and spoke with the new owner. Subsequently, he decided to perform one more circuit.
Accident Sequence
The weather was fine, with a surface wind from 220° at 10 knots, suitable for a circuit to grass Runway 24. The pilot reported a stable final approach at 60–65 knots, the same airspeed as his previous approach. However, he flared late and landed hard on the firm grass surface. The nose gear and main landing gear collapsed, and the propeller struck the ground. The aircraft veered to the right and came to a stop at the edge of the runway. A witness observed that after a normal approach, the aircraft did not flare but appeared to pitch down just before striking the runway.
Damage and Injuries
The accident caused damage to the nose gear, main landing gear, fuselage, propeller, and engine. The engine was shock loaded. The pilot, who was wearing a lap strap and diagonal harness, was uninjured and exited the aircraft normally. There was no fire.
Pilot's Conclusion
The pilot concluded that the accident resulted from misjudged handling of the aircraft during the landing.