Accident Overview
On 2 June 2010 at approximately 1400 UTC, a Jabiru UL-450, registration G-JABZ, sustained major damage following a loss of control during landing at Eshott Airfield, Northumberland. The aircraft was engaged on a private flight with one pilot and one passenger on board. Neither occupant was injured.
Flight History
The pilot arrived at the airfield at 1330 hrs and verified the weather conditions, which matched an earlier internet forecast: sunny/cloudy with a westerly wind of 3 kt. At around 1400 hrs, the pilot and his passenger departed on Runway 26 for a local sortie, which proceeded without incident.
Accident Details
As the aircraft returned to land on Runway 26, the pilot selected second stage flaps on approach. During the final descent, a sudden and severe wind gust lifted the right wing and caused the aircraft to yaw to the left. The pilot attempted to counteract the wing drop, but the aircraft stalled and subsequently crashed into a cornfield to the left of the runway.
Damage and Aftermath
The accident resulted in damage to the wing, fuselage, landing gear, cockpit, engine, and propeller. Despite the severity of the impact, both the pilot and passenger were able to exit the aircraft using the doors. They were assisted by a nearby farmer and other pilots present at the airfield. The pilot held a National Private Pilot’s Licence, was 45 years old, and had a total flying experience of 57 hours, of which 18 were on type. In the 90 days preceding the accident, he had flown 11 hours, with 2 hours in the previous 28 days.
Weather and Runway
The wind at the time of the accident was reported as westerly at 3 kt. Runway 26 was in use at Eshott Airfield. The exact wind conditions at the moment of the accident were not specified beyond the pilot's account of a "severe wind" during the flare.