What happened
On 21 October 2007, a Jodel D120A Paris-Nice, registration G-BMLB, was performing a private local flight at Lydd Airport, Kent. The aircraft was utilizing Runway 21 for its approach. At the time of the incident, the asphalt runway surface was dry, and the wind was recorded at 190 degrees at 3 knots.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft began to oscillate in the yaw direction. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control, which led to a ground loop. The impact of the maneuver caused the left landing gear to collapse and resulted in damage to the left wing and the airbrake. The pilot, who was wearing a full safety harness, was able to exit the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
Investigators looked into the circumstances surrounding the loss of control during the landing phase. The pilot noted that they had not operated this specific aircraft for three months prior to the accident. Furthermore, the pilot's recent flying experience had primarily involved aircraft equipped with nose gear, rather than tailwheel configurations. The pilot expressed that training with an instructor to refresh skills on tailwheel-equipped aircraft would have been advantageous.