What happened
On 9 February 2009, a Pegasus XL-R, registration G-MTKG, was performing a private flight at Caernarfon Aerodrome in Wales. The pilot initiated an overhead join for landing on Runway 02. While initially attempting a glide approach, the pilot applied power after realizing the aircraft would not reach the runway threshold. During the final stages of the approach, the pilot noted the aircraft was being drifted off the runway centerline. Although the pilot had previously attempted a go-around, they decided to proceed with the landing once the centerline was regained.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft experienced a heavy landing followed by a bounce. The pilot subsequently reduced engine power, which prevented the aircraft from maintaining enough energy to continue the glide. This resulted in the aircraft rolling onto its side. The pilot escaped the incident without injuries and used the onboard radio to notify the Tower of the situation.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight conditions and the aircraft's performance during the landing phase. At the time of the accident, the surface wind was recorded at 10 knots from 040°, resulting in a crosswind component of approximately 3 knots. The investigation reviewed the pilot's decision-making regarding the approach stability and the aircraft's handling characteristics.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, the wing keel, and the nosewheel forks.
- The pilot's decision to continue the landing despite an unstable approach was a contributing factor.
- The pilot failed to execute a go-around despite the aircraft being blown off the runway centerline.
- The aircraft's airspeed decreased and a high sink rate developed during the late stages of the approach, leading to the heavy touchdown.