Mainair Scorcher, G-MVBE, 2 July 2011
Mainair Scorcher, G-MVBE
Summary:
The pilot was returning from a local flight to land at a private grass airstrip near Seaville. The airstrip has a single 180 m runway on a heading of approximately 260°/080° and bounded by a hedge. The pilot had landed at the airstrip before, but had previously joined overhead before flying a circuit to position for landing. On this occasion he positioned the aircraft onto a long final approach for Runway 26 from an altitude of about 3,000 ft and about 6 nm from the runway. As he passed the position where he would normally turn from base leg onto the final approach, he realised that he was lower than normal, but considered that the approach path was still acceptable. As the aircraft overflew the airstrip boundary the undercarriage struck the hedge and the aircraft impacted the ground heavily. The pilot suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital. The aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair. The pilot stated that, when realising that he was below his normal descent path, he should have carried out a go-around.
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