Ikarus C42 FB100, G-EDEE, 9 April 2008

63 © Crown copyright 2008 AAIB Bulletin: 7/2008 G-EDEE EW/G2008/04/03 ACCIDENT Aircraft Type and Registration: Ikarus C42 FB100, G-EDEE No & Type of Engines: 1 Rotax 912ULS piston engine Year of Manufacture: 2005 Date & Time (UTC): 9 April 2008 at 1500 hrs Location: Sutton Meadows Airfield, Cambridgeshire Type of Flight: Private Persons on Board: Crew - 1 Passengers - 1 Injuries: Crew - None Passengers - None Nature of Damage: Nose landing gear assembly, propeller blade and lower engine cowling damaged Commander’s Licence: National Private Pilot’s Licence Commander’s Age: 63 years Commander’s Flying Experience: 123 hours (of which 29 were on type) Last 90 days - 11 hours Last 28 days - 7 hours Information Source: Aircraft Accident Report Form submitted by the pilot Synopsis The aircraft was in the final stages of the approach to land when, at a height of about 15 ft, the aircraft unexpectedly pitched up. The pilot lowered the nose and the aircraft descended towards the runway. There was insufficient height to prevent the aircraft touching down on the nose wheel which collapsed. History of the flight The pilot and his passenger had departed from a private airstrip near Newark in Nottinghamshire for a flight to Beccles, before continuing to Sutton Meadows airstrip in Cambridgeshire. The purpose of the flight to Sutton Meadows was to visit friends before returning to Newark. The weather for the entire route was good with the surface wind generally westerly at about 15 kt. After departing Beccles, the aircraft was climbed to an altitude of 2,000 ft for the transit to Sutton Meadows. The pilot joined overhead the destination and noted the windsock which indicated Runway 24 as the most suitable landing direction. He could not recall the exact wind direction he observed from the windsock but transmitted his intentions on the microlight radio frequency and was advised to use Runway 28. This was an acceptable landing direction and he flew a right‑hand circuit, turning onto the final approach. Two stages of flap were lowered and the approach was 64 © Crown copyright 2008 AAIB Bulletin: 7/2008 G-EDEE EW/G2008/04/03 stable at about 55 kt with no significant turbulence or gust disturbance. At about 15 ft, the aircraft pitched up and the pilot responded with a forward movement of the control column. The aircraft pitched down in response to the control input and the aircraft descended towards the runway. The pilot attempted to raise the nose but there was insufficient height and the aircraft touched down on the nose landing gear which collapsed. The propeller contacted the grass surface of the runway, the engine stopped and the aircraft came to rest after a short distance. Both the pilot and his passenger were uninjured and they vacated the aircraft through the normal exits. Discussion The flight had been uneventful and the approach to Runway 28 appeared normal with no gusts or turbulence. The pitch up in the final stages of the approach was corrected with what appeared to be an appropriate level of forward control input. The pilot considered that the aircraft had encountered some degree of windshear. With the increased rate of descent and the nose-down attitude, there was insufficient height to prevent the nose landing gear contacting the runway with its resulting collapse.

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Ikarus C42 FB100, G-EDEE, 9 April 2008

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