What happened
On 1 March 2009, a Piper L4J Cub, registration G-AKTH, was taxiing toward Runway 26 at Lains Farm Airstrip, located near Thruxton, Hampshire. During the taxi, the aircraft struck a bracing cable that was attached to a tall electrical power supply pole situated near the edge of the airfield. This impact caused the aircraft to yaw sharply to the left. As the aircraft veered, the propeller made contact with a low-hanging cable that formed part of the boundary hedge. The impact with the second cable caused the engine to stop abruptly. The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and the left wing, but the pilot and the single passenger escaped without injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of events leading to the contact with the electrical infrastructure. The pilot reported that while taxiing, his attention was divided between monitoring the windsock and checking the aircraft's internal instruments. Upon noticing the cable, the pilot determined there was insufficient time to execute a right turn or bring the aircraft to a complete stop to avoid the collision. Consequently, the pilot intentionally turned the aircraft to the left in an attempt to mitigate the severity of the impact.