Pitts S-1S Special, G-STYL, 27 June 2011
Pitts S-1S Special, G-STYL
Summary:
In still wind conditions, the pilot made a sideslipping approach to Runway 13 at the unlicensed airstrip. The left sideslip provided the pilot with a clear view of the final approach, and, in his report, he remarked that this was a normal approach technique for this aircraft type. The aircraft landed smoothly, in a three-point attitude, touching down approximately 40 m along the 630 m airstrip. During the landing rollout, the aircraft drifted to the right and, despite the pilot applying left brake, the right wing caught in standing crop that was next to the 20 metre-wide runway. The aircraft yawed to the right and nosed over into the crop, coming to rest inverted. The pilot switched the ignition and battery master switches to OFF and closed the fuel cock. After releasing his harness, he found that the canopy had jammed due to his weight bearing upon it but, adjusting his position, the canopy opened normally and he was able to vacate the aircraft. The pilot commented that adoption of a ‘wheeler’ landing technique, in which the aircraft touches down on the mainwheels only, would have provided him with a better view of the narrow runway, and may have helped avoid the accident.
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