What happened
On 21 June 1998, a Luscombe 8A, registration G-BSUD, was conducting a private flight from Derby to Tatenhill Airfield in Leicestershire. The weather at the destination was reported as good, with no significant cloud cover and surface winds varying between 260° and 290° at 15 knots.
During the landing on runway 26, the approach and touchdown initially appeared routine. However, during the landing roll, the right wing lifted, likely due to the influence of the crosswind. This caused the aircraft to veer toward the right side of the runway. As the aircraft drifted, the port wing tip made contact with the ground, subsequently causing the left undercarriage leg to collapse. The resulting movement led the propeller to strike the runway surface. The aircraft eventually came to a stop on the grass area located to the north of the main runway. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The examination focused on the sequence of the landing roll and the impact of environmental conditions on the aircraft's stability. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained damage to the left wing, the propeller, and the left undercarriage.