What happened
On 11 November 2011, a Maule MX-7-180B aircraft, registration G-URUS, was conducting a private flight to Treborough Airfield in Somerset. The pilot, who possessed experience operating from grass strips, was visiting the airfield for the first time. Upon overflying the site, the pilot assessed the surface winds to be 10 knots from 200 degrees. To facilitate a landing on the 800-metre grass runway (Runway 25), which featured a slight upslope, the pilot executed a right-hand circuit.
During the landing phase, the aircraft encountered a powerful gust of wind from the left. This resulted in a ground loop that caused the aircraft to come to rest in an inverted position. The pilot sustained one minor injury (a mild concussion and a hand injury) and was able to exit the cockpit quickly, despite a noticeable smell of fuel in the vicinity.
The investigation
The investigation examined the circumstances surrounding the landing and the environmental conditions at the airfield. The aircraft sustained damage to the engine cowling, propeller, and empennage, and the engine was found to have been shock-loaded during the event.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a strong gust of wind originating from the left during the landing.
- The gusting crosswind was attributed to the undulating terrain surrounding the airstrip.