What happened
On 12 July 2013, a Shadow Series CD, registration G-MWTP, was conducting a private flight near Grange Farm, Lincolnshire. The pilot was performing a practice 'dead-stick' approach, intentionally closing the throttle while descending from 1,500 ft to simulate an engine-out scenario.
As the aircraft approached the farm strip from the north, the pilot aimed for a touchdown point near the runway's midpoint. However, during the final stages of the descent, the pilot realized the aircraft was passing over a wheat crop oriented east-west. While attempting to adjust the approach, the pilot applied throttle, but the resulting wind conditions—which were being sheltered by trees to the south—pushed the aircraft further into the crop. In an effort to avoid overflying a farm building at the eastern end of the strip, the pilot closed the throttle again, accepting a landing within the wheat. The aircraft came to a rapid halt within the crop; the airframe was damaged beyond economic repair, though the pilot escaped without injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the pilot's approach profile and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. It was established that the pilot had frequently performed this specific approach pattern. The investigation looked into the impact of the surrounding vegetation on local wind patterns and the pilot's decision-making regarding the throttle usage during the simulated engine failure.