What happened
On 10 June 2006, a Jodel D117A, registration G-ASJZ, was performing a private landing at Old Buckenham Airfield in Norfolk. The aircraft was utilizing the asphalt Runway 07, which features a 2% uphill gradient. As the pilot approached the threshold, they employed a crab technique to compensate for a significant crosswind from the right, eventually using rudder inputs to align with the centerline and a wing-down technique for the final approach.
While the aircraft was approximately 140 metres down the runway, it was struck by a sudden gust. This caused the aircraft to drift rapidly toward the left edge of the runway. The pilot attempted an immediate go-around by applying full power and turning into the wind; however, the maneuver failed to keep the aircraft on the paved surface. The aircraft subsequently touched down on rough ground roughly 240 metres from the threshold. The impact caused the aircraft to slew anticlockwise, resulting in the collapse of the landing gear and tailwheel, damage to the propeller blades, and structural damage to the right wing and engine underside. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
The investigation examined the environmental conditions and the aircraft's performance during the critical phase of flight. Investigators noted that the outside air temperature was between 25°C and 27°C, which would have impacted the engine's climb performance. The pilot also considered whether an inadvertent application of nose-up elevator might have induced a stall during the attempted go-around.