Accident
On 3 July 2010 at 0945 UTC, a Taylorcraft F-22, registration G-BVOX, sustained substantial damage when it departed the runway and collided with a hedge during landing at Orchard Farm Airstrip, Sittingbourne, Kent. The pilot and the single passenger were uninjured.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was a single-engine Taylorcraft F-22, manufactured in 1991, powered by a Lycoming O-235-L2C piston engine. The pilot, aged 50, held a Private Pilot’s Licence and had accumulated 325 hours of flying experience, of which 246 hours were on type. In the preceding 90 days, he had flown 14 hours, and in the last 28 days, 6 hours.
Flight History
The flight was a private operation. The grass runway, oriented 120°/300°, was 600 m long and sloped upwards in the direction of runway 12. There were trees approximately 7 m tall at the start of runway 30, and a hedge and overhead power line at the start of runway 12. The surrounding terrain included a small but steep valley perpendicular to the approach to runway 12, noted for causing unpredictable turbulence when the wind blew from a northerly to westerly direction. No windsock was present at the airstrip. The pilot had made five previous landings at the farm strip over earlier visits.
The wind was from 280° at 10 kt. The pilot initially intended to land into wind on runway 30 but, due to the trees at the threshold and the downslope of the runway, decided to reposition for a landing on runway 12, accepting a tailwind. During the approach, the aircraft drifted left, and the pilot corrected by increasing power and crabbing to the right to regain the intended approach path. During the flare, the aircraft drifted to the right of the runway. The pilot partially corrected, resulting in touchdown on the runway, but the aircraft was not aligned with the runway direction. He was unable to prevent it from departing to the left and colliding with a hedge.
Discussion
The pilot accepted a tailwind to take advantage of the upslope and clearer approach of runway 12. However, local variations in wind strength and direction appeared greater than anticipated, leading to a loss of control. Accepting a tailwind instead of a headwind resulted in a 40% increase in groundspeed at touchdown. The pilot noted that flying to farm strips requires more preparation and thought than licensed airfields, particularly regarding the interaction between prevailing weather conditions and local landscape.