What happened
On 23 February 2001, a Jabiru UL, registration G-MGCA, was conducting a private flight from Rochester to Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey. During the approach to the grass runway 26L, the pilot encountered a surface wind of 10 knots from 340°.
While managing the crosswind component, the pilot executed a maneuver to correct for drift. This resulted in a somewhat forceful touchdown that caused the aircraft to bounce. During the subsequent final touchdown, the left main landing gear failed. The impact caused the gear's attachment stud to shear, leading to the collapse of the gear and damage to the aircraft's fairing.
There were two people on board the aircraft, including the pilot, and no injuries were reported following the incident.
The investigation
Following the event, the AAIB examined the damage to the Jabiru UL. The investigation focused on the mechanical failure of the landing gear assembly. The inspection confirmed that the securing stud for the landing gear had sheared during the landing sequence. The pilot noted that the aircraft might have been subjected to heavy landings prior to this specific occurrence.