What happened
On 16 February 2008, a Jodel DR1050 Ambassadeur, registration G-BXYJ, was involved in an accident following its arrival at Welshpool Airfield, Powys. The flight, which was a private operation, proceeded normally until the aircraft had completed its landing. Once on the runway, the aircraft began to oscillate from side to side while taxiing.
While the pilot noted that such weaving was characteristic of the aircraft, the movement was notably more intense during this specific instance. In an effort to stabilize the aircraft, the pilot utilized the rudder; however, the oscillations persisted. The pilot then applied the right wheel brake to halt the movement. This action, combined with the application of full left rudder, caused the aircraft to swing to the right. This sequence of inputs led to the collapse of the right main landing gear leg. Subsequently, the propeller made contact with the ground, followed by the collapse of the left main landing gear leg. Both the pilot and the single passenger escaped the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's actions and the mechanical response of the aircraft's landing gear. It was established that the pilot's familiarity with operating the aircraft on grass surfaces influenced his handling of the aircraft on the paved runway. The investigation focused on the sequence of rudder and braking inputs that directly preceded the structural failure of the gear legs.