What happened
On 21 February 2004, a Socata MS 880B Rallye, registration G-BIOR, was performing a private flight at Eddsfield Airfield in Yorkshire. While established on a visual approach to the grass runway 09, the pilot encountered a left-hand crosswind of roughly 10 knots. During the final stages of the approach, the pilot detected the smell of fuel. Believing the aircraft was within gliding distance of the threshold, the pilot reduced the throttle to idle.
As the aircraft approached the runway, it began to sink. In an attempt to compensate, the pilot raised the nose. During the flare, a gust of wind lifted the left wing, causing the right main landing gear to strike the ground with enough force to cause a collapse. The propeller subsequently struck the ground, and the aircraft veered right off the runway. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft and discovered fuel in the pilot's footwell. The source was identified as a leaking union on the fuel pressure gauge located above the footwell; notably, this union was missing its required locking wire.
Regarding maintenance, the aircraft had recently undergone an annual star inspection in November 2003, with only four hours flown since that check. While no recent work had involved the fuel pressure gauge, the inspection protocols required checking various fuel-related components. The investigation also considered the pilot's flight experience and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident.