What happened
On 17 April 2003, a Jodel DR1005 Ambassadeur, registration G-BHOL, was conducting a private sightseeing flight near Stornoway Airport, Isle of Lewis. Following a series of three touch-and-go landings on Runway 36, the pilot completed a full-stop landing and began the process of backtracking for a subsequent takeoff.
During the 180-degree turn required to backtrack, the aircraft began to swing toward the left. This deviation was not immediately identified by the pilot. By the time rudder input was applied to correct the path, the aircraft had entered a ground loop. The lateral forces generated by the loop caused the landing gear to bend toward the left. The right-hand gear eventually failed at its connection to the wing, bending at an angle of roughly 45 degrees and causing the right wing to contact the runway surface. The incident resulted in no injuries to the two occupants.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the taxi maneuver. The inspection revealed superficial damage to the airframe, though several wing ribs and the aileron cable attachment bracket in the right wing were damaged. The investigation focused on the pilot's actions during the backtrack and the mechanical response of the tail-wheel aircraft to the steering inputs.