What happened
On 20 April 2013, a Mainair Sports Blade 912, registration G-BZDD, was performing a training flight at Scone Airfield, Perth. During the late stages of the approach to Runway 27, the student pilot encountered a sudden and significant shift in wind conditions. The wind, reported as being from 250° at 8 kt, caused the aircraft to be pushed first to the left and then to the right.
In an effort to maintain the approach, the pilot applied full power to attempt a go-around. However, the aircraft lost altitude and struck the runway surface. The impact resulted in damage to the propeller, the pod, and both the front and rear struts. The pilot, who was wearing a protective helmet and a lap harness, escaped the incident without any injuries.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the atmospheric conditions at the time of the approach and the subsequent flight control inputs made by the student pilot. The investigation established that the aircraft's flight path was disrupted by the wind shift, leading to the loss of altitude during the attempted power application.