What happened
On 9 May 2012, a Mainair Blade, registration G-CBXV, was involved in an accident at Northrepps Airfield in Norfolk during a private flight. The pilot arrived at the airfield and proceeded to assemble the aircraft. Following a pre-flight inspection conducted according to the manufacturer's manual, the pilot taxied to the apron to complete takeoff checks.
The pilot initially attempted two circuits of the local airfield. The first approach was completed, but the second was abandoned because the pilot determined the aircraft was too high. During a third attempt, the pilot reduced engine power earlier than usual to achieve a lower approach profile, intending to apply power just in time to prevent an undershoot. During this maneuver, the aircraft's main wheels struck a grass bank located before the runway threshold. The aircraft subsequently impacted a ploughed field northeast of the runway. The impact resulted in no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft suffered significant damage to the trike, wing, keel tube, steering assembly, and king post.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of the pilot's approach attempts and the pilot's own assessment of the flight path. The pilot had identified the primary cause of the accident as a misjudgement regarding the approach to the runway.