What happened
On 29 July 2006, a Jabiru SK, registration G-MITT, was involved in an accident at Top Farm, Roystone, Hertfordshire. The pilot had flown the aircraft from Henstridge Airfield earlier that day to deliver it to a new owner. This flight followed a previous one-hour period of flight time in the aircraft type, marking the pilot's first experience with this specific model.
During the final approach to the grass runway, the weather conditions were favorable, with a wind from 220 degrees at 10 knots. While the approach was initially stable at 60-65 knots, the aircraft struck the firm surface with significant force. The impact caused the nose and main landing gear to collapse. Following the impact, the aircraft veered toward the right side of the runway and came to a halt at the edge of the strip. The pilot, who was wearing a lap strap and diagonal harness, sustained no injuries and was able to exit the aircraft without incident. There was no fire following the event.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the landing. The inspection revealed substantial damage to the propeller, the engine, the fuselage, and both the nose and main landing gear. A witness at the scene observed that although the approach appeared normal, the aircraft failed to flare and instead seemed to pitch downward immediately before contacting the ground. The pilot's flight history indicated that while they were an experienced pilot, they had only one hour of flight time in the Jabiru SK prior to the accident.
Findings
- The accident was caused by the misjudged flare during the landing phase.
- The aircraft struck the firm grass surface with excessive force, leading to the structural failure of the landing gear.
- The engine sustained shock loading as a result of the hard impact.