What happened
On 17 February 2012, a Savannah Jabiru(4), registration G-CDAT, was conducting a private flight when it encountered difficulties during its approach to Runway 26 at Eshott Airfield. As the aircraft was approximately 6 feet above the runway surface, it encountered wind shear, which resulted in a sudden loss of altitude.
During the landing sequence, the aircraft made firm contact with the runway and subsequently bounced. This maneuver led to the aircraft settling in a nose-low attitude. The impact caused the nose leg structure to collapse and resulted in damage to the propeller. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway, after which the pilot shut down the engine and secured the aircraft. Both the pilot and the single passenger remained uninjured.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the atmospheric conditions and the aircraft's behavior during the final moments of flight. The AAIB established that the aircraft was subject to surface winds from 240° at approximately 18 to 25 knots. The investigation examined the sequence of the bounce and the subsequent structural failure of the nose gear following the sudden descent caused by the wind shear.