What happened
On 4 June 2004, a private flight operating a MCR-01 Club Banbi, registration G-CCFG, was conducting a flight from Bourn Airfield to Sutton Meadows. Upon arrival at the destination, the pilot performed a circuit to determine the prevailing wind conditions and identified Runway 24 as the most appropriate option for landing.
During the approach, the pilot configured the aircraft with 17.5° flaps on the base leg while maintaining an airspeed of 70 kt. The aircraft continued on a long final approach at 65 kt, with flaps extended to 36.5°. As the aircraft reached the final stages of the approach, the speed was reduced to 55 kt. The pilot intended to touch down approximately 25 metres into the runway; however, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of height. This resulted in the aircraft touching down in standing crop roughly 20 metres short of the runway threshold. During the subsequent ground roll, the aircraft traversed a shallow ditch, which led to damage to the landing gear and propeller.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. Investigators examined the flight parameters, noting that the final approach speed of 65 kt was 10 kt above the optimum speed for this aircraft type. The investigation also considered the environmental conditions, noting a surface wind of 240°/10 kt at the time of the occurrence.