What happened
On 24 August 2006, a Morane Saullynier Rallye 235E, registration G-MELV, was conducting a private cross-country flight from Coventry toward Shobdon Aerodrome. The weather conditions were favorable, with visibility exceeding 10 km and a cloud base of 3,000 ft.
As the pilot approached Shobdon, they contacted Shobdon Radio and announced intentions to enter the circuit on a left base for Runway 27. While the pilot reported being on final approach, no response was received from the airfield. Believing the path ahead was clear, the pilot proceeded to land. However, as the aircraft neared the ground, the pilot realized the terrain did not match the expected airfield environment.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft traveled approximately 842 m along a newly paved road located roughly 4 nm east of the airfield. The road, which was closed to traffic and blocked by concrete barriers, shared a similar length, width, and orientation to Runway 27. During the landing roll, the aircraft encountered a speed bump, causing it to veer left. This maneuver resulted in the left wing striking a small tree and the right wing hitting a lamp post, which caused the right wing to nearly shear off completely. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft unassisted via the sliding canopy, and there were no injuries.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot had not flown to Shobdon recently, having landed there only three times in a 27-year flying career. The investigation focused on the pilot's misidentification of the road as the runway due to the road's similar dimensions and alignment with the actual runway. The investigation also noted that the road was a new construction that had not yet been opened to the public.