What happened
On 13 November 2010, a Pitts S-1S Special, registration G-REAP, was conducting a local non-aerobatic flight near Netherthorpe Airfield, Nottinghamshire. The flight was intended to maintain the pilot's currency. During the flight, the duration exceeded the original plan, resulting in the approach occurring as the sun was setting.
As the pilot began the approach to Runway 24, the low sun was positioned directly over the end of the runway. This caused the pilot to become temporarily blinded, rendering the Airspeed Indicator (ASI) unreadable and causing a loss of external visual references. In an attempt to correct an excessive height, the pilot reduced power and initiated a left sideslip to increase the descent rate. During this maneuver, the aircraft touched down short of the runway, striking the top of a barbed wire fence that separates the airfield from a nearby road. The nose of the aircraft then impacted the boundary fence, and the aircraft came to a stop. The pilot escaped the wreckage without injury.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The examination focused on the environmental conditions during the approach and the pilot's maneuvers. The investigation established that the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, left landing gear, tailplane, wing, and fuselage. The site was noted to have a barbed wire fence south of Runway 24, which serves as a boundary between the airfield and a narrow road, with further fencing bordering fields on the opposite side.