History of the Flight
The pilot departed from Husbands Bosworth after a light meal and two mugs of tea. Approximately 45 minutes into the flight, he recognized a need for a toilet call. He had already passed Hedon, Sturgate, and North Moor, all airfields he frequented. He considered landing at Breighton but decided to continue to Rufforth, with only 15 minutes of flight time remaining.
Accident Sequence
At Rufforth, the pilot joined the downwind leg for Runway 23, aware that the wind was from the south. He recalled turning onto the base leg and lining up on finals, with the runway straight ahead, but had no recollection of events thereafter until he was crawling out of the aircraft. Witnesses observed the aircraft clip a tree at approximately 50 feet on final approach and then "nose dive" into the ground.
Injuries and Damage
The pilot was taken to hospital with head and wrist injuries, classified as minor. The aircraft sustained damage to the wing and landing gear.
Pilot's Report
In his frank report, the pilot commented that he considered a major causal factor in the accident to be that he allowed his need for a toilet call to blur his concentration during the final approach.