What happened
On 29 June 2006, a Rans S6-ES, registration G-BYOU, was conducting a private solo flight at Baxby, North Yorkshire. The pilot was in the process of converting from a flex-wing to a three-axis aircraft and had recently completed six hours of dual instruction with a qualified instructor. During the flight, the pilot was performing circuit training.
While on final approach to Runway 15 with full flaps deployed, the pilot intentionally aimed to land short of the runway. As the aircraft descended, the main wheels made contact with the top of a hedge that was approximately one metre in height and situated about 350 m from the runway threshold. This impact led to a heavy landing, which caused the nosewheel to collapse. The aircraft sustained damage to the forward fuselage, the propeller blades were broken, and the engine was shock loaded. The pilot, who was wearing a lap and diagonal harness, escaped the aircraft via the cockpit door without any injuries.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form submitted by the pilot. Investigators reviewed the circumstances of the flight, noting that the weather conditions featured good visibility and light winds from the east-south-east. The pilot's flying experience was assessed, noting that while the pilot held a Private Pilot’s Licence and had 420 total flying hours, only 8 of those hours were on this specific aircraft type.
Findings
- The pilot was attempting a deliberate short landing.
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot's inexperience in operating three-axis aircraft during the conversion process from flex-wing flying.