What happened
On 17 May 1999, a Maverick G-MZJS, powered by a Jabiru 2200A piston engine, was involved in a ground accident at Sleap Aerodrome in Shropshire. During a private flight, the pilot was backtracking along the edge of Runway 05, following standard taxiing procedures, when a sudden wind gust from approximately 040° to 050° reached 20 knots. This gust caused the aircraft to veer from its path, resulting in the left wheel exiting the tarmac and entering the adjacent grass area by about 3 feet.
In an attempt to correct the aircraft's direction, the pilot inadvertently caused the left main landing gear to strike a runway light. The impact resulted in the collapse of the left gear, leading the propeller and the left wing tip to make contact with the ground. The pilot initially believed the aircraft had encountered an unseen hole in the terrain, only discovering the collision with the light during a subsequent inspection of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the excursion from the paved surface and the subsequent collision. It was established that the runway light in question protruded 9 to 12 inches above the surface level. However, the light was obscured from the pilot's view by surrounding grass, which was measured at approximately 18 inches in height.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a wind gust that pushed the aircraft off the paved taxiway.
- The height of the grass prevented the pilot from identifying the runway light before the collision occurred.
- The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the landing gear, propeller, and left wing tip.
- There were no injuries to the pilot during the event.