What happened
On 10 August 2013, a Streak Shadow, registration G-BVTD, was performing a private flight at Stoke Golding Airfield in Leicestershire. While approaching Runway 26, the pilot had trimmed the aircraft for a landing speed of 60 kt. At an altitude of approximately 6 ft, the pilot decided to abort the landing and initiate a go-around.
During this maneuver, the pilot made an error in control application. Having previously flown Piper PA-28 aircraft, where the throttle is operated by the right hand and the control yoke by the left, the pilot applied the reverse logic to the Shadow's configuration. Instead of advancing the throttle with his left hand, he pushed the right-hand sidestick forward. This input caused the nosewheel to strike the runway surface, leading to its collapse.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's actions during the critical moments of the go-around. It was established that the pilot's recent flying experience was limited, with only one hour of flight time on this specific aircraft type and very few hours flown in the preceding months. The investigation examined the cockpit layout of the Streak Shadow, noting that the throttle lever is positioned to the left of the cockpit, while the sidestick control is on the right.
Findings
- The pilot attempted a go-around at a very low altitude of 6 ft.
- The pilot applied forward pressure to the control column instead of advancing the throttle.
- The pilot's lack of familiarity with the aircraft's unique control layout led to the incorrect input.
- The resulting impact caused damage to the nosewheel, the front underside of the aircraft, the lower fuel tank, the boom, and the canopy.
- No injuries were sustained by the pilot.