What happened
On 3 July 2011, a Thruster T600T 450 Jab, registration G-BZJD, was conducting a private flight from Old Hay Airfield in Paddock Wood, Kent. The pilot was performing a local flight and was on his ninth landing of the day. Based on observations of the windsock, the pilot chose to use Runway 10, as previous landings had utilized both Runway 10 and Runway 28 due to shifting winds. The weather conditions were dry with generally light winds.
While the approach was described as normal, the aircraft encountered a sudden gust of wind near the tree line on the northern side of the airfield. This gust, estimated at approximately 10 knots from the north, caused the aircraft to bounce slightly and the left wing to lift. A subsequent bounce occurred, and despite the pilot's attempt to apply power, the aircraft failed to respond before veering right off the runway strip and into long grass. The aircraft came to a stop by tipping forward onto its nose. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, though the nose and landing gear sustained damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances of the landing and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot provided information regarding the flight sequence and the impact of the wind near the tree line. The investigation established that the aircraft's movement off the runway was triggered by the wind disturbance encountered during the landing roll.