What happened
On 26 February 2007, a Jodel D9, registration G-BGFJ, was conducting a private flight from Llanbedr to a grass airstrip located at Drain Farm, Trawsfynydd, Wales. The pilot intended to perform a long, straight-in approach to the northern runway, maintaining an airspeed of approximately 50 kt, while accounting for an estimated headwind of 7 to 8 kt. The pilot's objective was to touchdown as close to the runway threshold as possible, noting that the ground conditions near the threshold were notably soft following recent rainfall.
During the final approach, the pilot reduced the airspeed to roughly 40 kt. However, just before reaching the threshold, the aircraft's rate of descent increased. The main landing gear made contact with boggy ground approximately 15 metres before the runway threshold. The wheels sank into the soft surface, causing the aircraft to turn over and come to rest in an inverted position within the runway undershoot area. The aircraft sustained minor damage to the canopy and propeller, but the pilot escaped without injury.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's contact with the terrain and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Investigators examined the pilot's approach profile and the known state of the airfield. It was established that the pilot was aware of the soft ground conditions near the threshold due to recent rain and had specifically planned the approach to minimize contact with that area. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's descent rate immediately prior to touchdown.