What happened
On 13 March 2011, a Jodel D92 Bebe, registration G-BDNT, was conducting a private flight at Oaklands Farm Strip in Oxfordshire. The pilot, who was performing his first flight on this specific aircraft type, had previously completed several taxiing exercises to familiarise himself with the aircraft's handling characteristics.
During the flight, the pilot entered the circuit to perform a low approach and a go-around. On a subsequent circuit, the pilot attempted to land the aircraft. During this landing phase, the left landing gear struck a telegraph pole that had been positioned horizontally across the strip to restrict access. The impact resulted in damage to the aircraft's landing gear. The pilot sustained one minor injury (a small cut to the hand).
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The inquiry examined the circumstances surrounding the approach and the positioning of the obstruction on the runway threshold. The pilot noted his suspicion that the airspeed may have decreased excessively during the approach, contributing to the incident.