What happened
On 10 March 2012, a Rockwell Commander 112TC, registration N4599W, was engaged in a private training and familiarisation flight at Fenland Airfield, Lincolnshire. During the flight, an instructor was conducting the approach and landing on Runway 18 to assist a student pilot who lacked confidence in crosswind conditions. At the time, the wind was estimated at 10 knots from a 250/260 direction.
During the flare, the aircraft floated beyond the intended touchdown point due to a lack of remaining runway distance. In an attempt to avoid an obstacle, the pilot applied back pressure prematurely, causing the aircraft to touch down in an adjacent field. Upon seeing a dyke, the crew decided to attempt a go-around. During this maneuver, the left undercarriage struck a tree, which caused the aircraft to rotate backwards. The impact resulted in the detachment of the left undercarriage and the right mainwheel, damage to both wings and the tail, and a disruption to the fuel tank.
Both crew members escaped the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
The investigation established that the pilot's approach speed was too high, compounded by the lack of a headwind component. The pilot also noted that bright sunshine had reduced visual cues, contributing to the late decision to execute a go-around. The investigation confirmed that the aircraft's landing roll exceeded the available runway length, necessitating the maneuver into the field.