What happened
On 6 September 2009, a Jabiru UL-450, registration G-BZSZ, was completing a local private flight when the pilot attempted an approach to the grass runway 20 at Clipgate Farm, Barham, Kent. During the final stages of the approach, the pilot was reducing engine power when a gust of wind struck the aircraft from the right side. This sudden lateral force caused the aircraft to drift toward the left of the runway centerline.
Upon touchdown, the pilot was unable to stop the aircraft from further drifting leftward. During the rollout, the left wing made contact with nearby hedges, which caused the aircraft to spin around before finally coming to a halt. There were no injuries to the pilot, and the aircraft sustained damage to its propeller, nose gear, wing strut, and wings.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators reviewed the environmental conditions at the time of the incident, noting that the wind was reported as being from 200° at 8 to 10 knots. The examination focused on the sequence of events during the landing flare and the impact of the wind gust on the aircraft's directional control.