What happened
On 10 July 2013, a Jodel D1ly7A, registration G-BEDD, was conducting a private flight in the local area near Abbots Bromley Airfield, Staffordshire. After climbing to approximately 1,300 ft on a left-hand circuit, the pilot noted that visibility had degraded compared to ground observations and decided to proceed with a landing.
During the final approach, which took place largely over a nearby reservoir, the pilot maintained an approach speed of approximately 60 kt, targeting a touchdown point 20 m beyond the runway threshold. Late in the approach, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude, with the airspeed dropping to 45 kt. Despite the application of full power, the aircraft failed to regain height and struck two hedges situated near the threshold of Runway 04. After passing through the hedges, the aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted in a standing crop. Both the pilot and the passenger sustained serious injuries, though both were able to escape through the broken canopy.
The investigation
The investigation examined the environmental conditions and the pilot's handling of the aircraft. It was noted that the airfield's northwestern boundary is bordered by a small wood and trees. The investigation considered how the local topography, specifically the rising ground from the reservoir to the runway level, combined with the nearby trees, may have created localized wind effects. The pilot's experience on this specific aircraft type was also reviewed, as the pilot had only 5 hours of flight time on the model.