What happened
On 25 August 2003, a Jurca Sirocco, registration G-AZOS, was conducting a private flight from Sleap Airfield with one pilot and one passenger on board. The flight crew intended to land at Knockin Airstrip in Shropshire. During the approach to Runway 10, the pilot maintained a high altitude to avoid overhead electricity wires, subsequently using a sideslip maneuver to descend toward the threshold.
In an effort to achieve a three-point landing, the pilot flared the aircraft and held it off the surface, allowing the airspeed to drop from approximately 8/0 KIAS to 65 KIAS. The main wheels contacted an undulation in the runway, causing the aircraft to bounce. Fearing insufficient remaining runway length, the pilot initiated a go-around. Upon applying full power, the left wing stalled and dropped. Despite corrective rudder input, the wing struck a hedge at the edge of the strip, causing the aircraft to ground loop 450 degrees. The propeller and landing gear also sustained damage during the excursion. There were no injuries to the occupants.
The investigation
The investigation, based on the pilot's accident report, examined the flight profile and the sequence of events leading to the loss of control. Investigators analyzed the pilot's decision-making regarding the approach speed and the impact of the runway surface on the landing attempt. The analysis focused on the transition from the bounced landing to the failed go-around attempt.
Findings
- The pilot's attempt to achieve a specific landing attitude resulted in the airspeed reducing too much, leaving the aircraft near a stall during the critical moment of the go-around.
- The decision to hold the aircraft off the ground led to the touchdown occurring further down the runway than desired.
- The left wing stalled and dropped immediately following the application of power for the go-around.