What happened
On 1 May 2005, a Jodel D112, registration G-BIVB, was performing a private flight at a private grass airstrip located at Twineham, West Sussex. The pilot had previously flown the aircraft from Goodwood Airfield to the strip earlier that day, landing successfully on Runway 02. During the afternoon, the pilot attempted to fly circuits at the strip, utilizing Runway 20 due to a slight change in wind direction.
While on final approach, the pilot attempted to adjust the engine power to correct the aircraft's glide path. During this maneuver, the pilot accidentally moved the throttle lever backward instead of forward, which resulted in a reduction of engine power. As the aircraft approached the end of the runway, it was too low to clear the boundary hedge. The aircraft's wheels struck a low bank, and the fuselage passed through the hedge, causing the aircraft to slew left and come to a rapid stop. The pilot sustained minor injuries and was able to exit the aircraft without assistance.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot had been participating in informal familiarisation flights with a flying group that had recently acquired the aircraft. While the pilot had some experience with the type, they had only completed four hours of flight time on this specific model. The investigation noted that the pilot found the forward field of view in the Jodel D112 to be more restricted than in their previous aircraft.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the inadvertent reduction of engine power caused by the pilot moving the throttle lever in the wrong direction.
- The pilot was attempting to correct a low approach path when the error occurred.
- The aircraft's design provided a less expansive forward view during the approach phase compared to the pilot's previous aircraft type.