What happened
On 2 June 2010, a Jabiru UL-45 and registration G-JABZ departed from Runway 26 at Eshott Airfield, Northumberland, for a local flight. The aircraft, powered by a single Jabiru 2200A piston engine, was carrying one pilot and one passenger. The flight proceeded without incident until the return approach to the same runway.
During the landing phase, the pilot configured the aircraft with second-stage flaps. As the aircraft neared the runway, a sudden gust of wind caused the right wing to lift and the aircraft to yaw toward the left. In an attempt to counteract this movement, the pilot's corrective actions resulted in a stall, causing the aircraft to crash into a nearby cornfield. The impact caused significant damage to the engine, propeller, cockpit, fuselage, landing gear, and wing. Both occupants exited the aircraft via the doors and were assisted by a local farmer and other pilots on site. There were no injuries to the crew or passenger.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The inquiry examined the weather conditions and the aircraft's flight path during the final approach. It was noted that the pilot had checked the weather prior to landing, which had indicated a westerly wind of only 3 knots, though the actual conditions at the time of the accident involved a severe wind gust.