Date:	Tuesday 2 September 2014
Time:	12:03
Type:	Robin DR.400-180 Regent
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	G-ETIV
MSN:	2454
Year of manufacture:	2000
Engine model:	Lycoming O-360-A3A
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Location:	Spilstead Farm Airstrip, Stream Lane, Sedlescombe, Battle, East Sussex -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Rochester Airport (RCS/EGTO)
Destination airport:	Spilstead Farm Airstrip, Sedlescombe (X9SF)
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Spilstead Farm Airstrip is a private grass airfield with a single runway of about 700 m in length, orientated 15/33. Due to the runway slope, arrivals are typically from the south. The pilot had landed at Spilstead Farm once before, without incident, and had noted that the northern end of the runway was undulating. So, on this flight he intended to touch down near the southern threshold. The weather was good and he selected an aiming point and speed to achieve this but misidentified the threshold. The aircraft touched down approximately 25 m short of the runway, encountered soft ground and the nose landing gear collapsed. The aircraft sustained damage but the pilot was unhurt and vacated it after shutting down.

Spilstead is a private farm strip and there is no requirement to mark the runway. The accident pilot reported that, on arrival, it was apparent that the surrounding crop had been cut for hay. This led to him mistaking a line in the cut hay for the start of the runway.

Damaged sustained to G-ETIV: Nose landing gear collapsed, propeller and cowling damaged, minor damage to the left flap

1. https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-investigation-to-robin-dr400-180-regent-g-etiv
2. http://www.caa.co.uk/aircraft-registration/
3. http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/2014/2014.semaine.37.pdf
4. https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/G-ETIV/876499
5. http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/General%20Aviation%20Report%20-%20%20September%202014.pdf

Robin DR.400-180 Regent G-ETIV was built in 2000, and first UK registered as such on 12 July 2000. It was sold on to its second owner on 23 November 2010, followed by its third (and current) owner on 14 May 2014. G-ETIV was involved in a separate incident on 7 December 2016 at Rochester Airport, Rochester, Kent (see separate entry)

Robin DR.400-180 Regent G-ETIV at Rochester Airport, Rochester, Medway, Kent, September 22 2012

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-Sep-2014 16:04	Alpine Flight	Added
05-Oct-2014 01:25	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport, Narrative]
17-Nov-2014 13:38	C Prior	Updated [Damage, Narrative]
21-Dec-2014 00:14	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
06-Mar-2015 17:57	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
07-Apr-2024 07:56	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category]