What happened
On 14 October 2012, a Jodel D117, registration G-AWWI, was performing a private flight at Rhigos Airfield in South Wales. The aircraft was on a standard approach and touched down from the east. Shortly after the initial ground roll, the left main wheel moved onto the grass verge, causing the aircraft to veer left and depart from the gravel runway.
As the aircraft decelerated, the main wheels encountered ground that had become soft due to recent heavy rainfall. The wheels sank into the earth, creating furrows and causing the aircraft to pitch forward. This motion resulted in the aircraft coming to rest in an inverted position. While the canopy frame sustained crushing damage, the pilot was able to release the harness and exit the aircraft through the passenger door.
The investigation
Investigators examined the airfield conditions and the aircraft's movement following touchdown. It was established that the runway at Rhigos consists of a single gravel strip approximately 730 m long and 6 m wide. The investigation focused on the interaction between the aircraft's landing gear and the unpaved surface following the deviation from the runway.
Findings
- The aircraft departed the runway after the left main wheel contacted the grass verge.
- The main wheels sank into soft ground caused by recent heavy rain, which triggered the forward pitch and subsequent inversion.
- There were no injuries to the pilot.
- The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, forward fuselage, cockpit, and frame, along with a crack in the fuselage behind the cockpit.