What happened
On 3 August 2010, a Piel CP301A Emeraude, registration G-AYTR, was performing a private local flight near Defford (Croft Farm) Airfield in Worcestershire. The flight, which lasted approximately one hour, concluded with a smooth touchdown on Runway 27L under favorable weather conditions, featuring an 8-knot wind from 250°.
As the aircraft proceeded along the runway, it began to veer toward the wind. In an attempt to steer the aircraft back onto the centreline, the pilot applied the brakes. This braking action caused the aircraft to pitch forward rapidly. The momentum resulted in the aircraft coming to rest in an inverted position. The incident resulted in minor injuries to the single occupant on board.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of events and the pilot's actions during the landing roll. The investigation established that the aircraft's movement was influenced by a tail wheel bounce, which contributed to the loss of directional control. The pilot noted that the aircraft's ground speed had decreased enough to attempt steering via braking, but the physical reaction of the airframe to the braking force was not anticipated.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a misjudgement of the aircraft's ground speed in conjunction with a tail wheel bounce during the braking phase.
- The application of brakes to correct the aircraft's path led to a sudden nose-down pitch.
- The aircraft sustained damage to its propeller, canopy, fuselage, and elevator.