What happened
On 13 February 2000, a Stolp Starduster Too SA300, registration G-BUPB, was returning to Popham Airfield in Hampshire following a local flight. The aircraft was being operated as part of a private flight by a pilot without radio communication. At the time of the incident, the airfield was experiencing busy traffic, with microlight aircraft flying tight visual circuits and heavier aircraft following a standard pattern with long straight-in approaches.
During the landing sequence on runway 03, the pilot made two unsuccessful attempts to land. On the third approach, the aircraft was positioned behind other traffic on the final approach. In an effort to reach the runway threshold, the pilot performed a left sideslip. During this maneuver, the aircraft made contact with the top of a tree, which was known to be up to 50 feet in height. Despite the impact, the pilot managed to complete a normal landing. There were no injuries to the crew, though the aircraft sustained damage to its undercarriage, oil cooler, and nose cowling.
The investigation
The investigation examined the circumstances of the approach and the visibility conditions within the cockpit. It was noted that the pilot was operating without a radio in a busy circuit. The investigation established that the pilot's forward visibility was significantly reduced during the specific maneuver used to reach the threshold. Specifically, the pilot reported that performing a left sideslip caused the forward field of view to become obscured.