UK Jabiru Aircraft crash report

[Wilfred]

Aircraft crash report

 

AN AIRCRAFT pilot lost control coming in to land and hit a tree at Wellcross Farm near Broadbridge Heath, a report has found.

 

The Air Accident Investigation Board said 'considerable damage' was caused to the Jabiru plane's wing and cockpit when it struck the tree, which served as a mounting for a windsock alongside the grass landing strip.

 

The 68 year old pilot had apparently been using the landing strip for nine years, and said it was quite uneven with ridges that could cause the aircraft to become briefly airborne again after touch-down.

 

He said on the day of the crash in June weather conditions including a cross-wind meant the aircraft would touch down at a higher than normal ground speed and he was careful not to damage the fragile landing gear.

 

The investigation report said: "As he reached the tree, by which point the aircraft had usually decelerated to taxi speed, the aircraft speed was higher than usual but sufficient distance remained to stop before the end of the runway.

 

"At this point, however, the aircraft suddenly yawed to the left and hit a tree with the port wing.

 

"The pilot considered that the benign conditions of the day may have rendered him complacent so he was caught out by the sudden swing of the aircraft."

 

The report goes on to suggest that the incident could have been caused by 'wheel-barrowing', when the pressure is applied to the nosewheel with sufficient airspeed remaining to generate some wing lift.

 

21 September 2006