What happened
On 26 January 2001, a Slingsby T67M260, registration G-BWXG, was involved in a landing accident during a training flight at RAF Church Fenton, North Yorkshire. The flight was a solo circuit conducted by a student pilot following a successful dual training session.
During the approach to Runway 24, the student pilot noted an excessive descent rate. In an attempt to correct this, the pilot raised the aircraft's nose but subsequently lowered it again, leading to a heavy touchdown. The aircraft bounced several times on the runway and began drifting toward the left side of the paved surface. As the aircraft transitioned onto the grass, the pilot observed a marker board and a bird control vehicle ahead. To avoid these obstacles, the pilot steered the aircraft further to the left. The aircraft traveled approximately 353 metres across the grass before striking a large mound, which brought the aircraft to an abrupt stop. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot and findings from the RAF Unit Enquiry. Investigators examined the sequence of events leading from the initial descent rate error to the final impact. The inquiry established that the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, the right wing, and the nose landing gear. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's maneuvers intended to avoid ground obstacles and the resulting path of the aircraft off the runway.