What happened
On 26 June 1999, a Streak Shadow, registration G-BSOR, was performing a private flight from Cranfield to Weston Underwood Airfield in Buckinghamshire. During the approach to Runway 11, a 320-yard grass strip, the aircraft encountered significant thermal activity and turbulence.
The pilot was attempting a landing into the wind with the approach flap selected and the aircraft trimmed nose up. As the aircraft reached approximately 20 yards from the runway threshold, it experienced a sudden and rapid loss of altitude. In an attempt to recover and initiate a go-around, the pilot applied full throttle; however, the descent continued.
The aircraft struck standing crops before hitting the upper wire of a fence, which caused damage to the aircraft's underside. Following this impact, the aircraft bounced across a small ditch and eventually came to a stop at the runway threshold, resting on its fuel tank. While the fuel tank ruptured during the sequence, no fire occurred. There were no injuries to the pilot.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. The inquiry examined the flight conditions, including the atmospheric turbulence and the aircraft's configuration during the final stages of the approach. The investigation also looked into the physical impact with the fence and the subsequent damage to the airframe and fuel system.