What happened
On 28 June 1999, a Rans S6 ES, registration G-RINS, was performing circuits at a private grass airstrip located at Ladthwaite Farm, Cumbria. The airfield runway was oriented north/south, and the area immediately north of the runway consisted of boggy ground. During the flight, the weather was clear, though a southwesterly wind was blowing at approximately 10 to 15 knots.
The pilot initiated an approach from the north, gradually extending the full flaps. As the aircraft reached an altitude of roughly 50 feet and the pilot began the flare, the aircraft experienced a rapid sink rate. Despite the pilot applying full power—with the Rotax 582 engine responding as expected—the aircraft could not be arrested and landed in the boggy area north of the runway. The impact resulted in damage to the nose landing gear, the propeller, and the tips of both the wing and the tailplane. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the flight conditions, the aircraft's configuration during the approach, and the physical state of the landing area. The assessment focused on the aircraft's descent profile during the transition from approach to flare and the subsequent impact with the soft ground.