Aeroplanes

3rd September:   
Vans RV-6A:   G-RVSH: Truro Airfield, Cornwall
Synopsis
The pilot of G-RVSH came into land on Runway 14 at Truro airfield but touched down off the side of the runway. The nose wheel was not held off, the nose wheel dug in, and the landing gear strut deformed resulting in the aircraft coming to rest inverted. The guidance from the aircraft manufacturer was that the nosewheel should be held ‘off as long as possible’. The Light Aircraft Association (LAA) provided similar guidance. A combination of the aircraft energy and dynamics of the roll over may have contributed to the pilot sustaining a fatal
neck injury.  Safety action has been taken by the airfield owner to provide more information on the Pooley’s plate. A helicopter training mound has been removed from the airfield.  The 60 year old pilot had flown 261 hrs with 115 on type.  (AAIB Bulletin: 10/24). 

22nd August:

Spitfire Mk 26B:    G-CLHJ: Nr Enstone, Oxon

AAIB Synopsis:
During a test flight towards obtaining a Permit to Fly, control of the aircraft was lost. The flight was testing the effects of leading edge stall strips as part of the Light Aircraft Association (LAA) approved test programme. The pilot was fatally injured when the aircraft struck the ground.

The aircraft was found to have been built with a misaligned fin and rudder. This misalignment made a wing drop at the stall more likely, but it did not prevent or restrict the ability of the pilot to recover from the stall nor any subsequent spin or spiral dive that might develop. Although the pilot’s medical history indicated the possibility of an incapacitation this could not be confirmed or dismissed by the pathologist. The possibility of a control restriction preventing recovery could also not be excluded due to the extensive fire damage to the aircraft.

The LAA took action to alert owners regarding the possibility of a fin and rudder misalignment by issuing a Mandatory Technical Directive (MTD) applicable to all Spitfire Mk 26 and Mk 26B aircraft.

The 68 year old private pilot had 1,164 hrs with 26 on Type.  (AAIB Bulletin 7/2024)

21st August:
Piper PA-28-180:  G-AYUH: Nr Stanley Hall, Halstead Hall, Essex

AAIB Synopsis:
Whilst approaching Earls Colne Airfield, (having flown from it’s base at Old Buckenham, Norfolk) the pilot of G-AYUH encountered weather that was not compatible with flight under VFR. The airfield was in fog, but this was not relayed to the pilot when he requested airfield details. Following an attempted track reversal manoeuvre and climb, the aircraft departed from controlled flight and struck trees and terrain, fatally injuring the pilot.

Safety action has been taken by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the operator of Earls Colne Airfield. The CAA Published a Safety Notice and a Supplementary Amendment to CAP 452 to highlight those occasions when radio operators should provide pilots with
additional information for the purpose of alerting them to hazards and avoiding immediate danger. The airfield operator introduced additional processes to provide guidance to radio operators on reporting of weather conditions at the airfield to pilots. The 72 year old pilot had flown 407 hrs mostly on PA28s.  (AAIB Bulletin 8/2024).

26 July:

Eurofox 912(S):  G-CIEF:   Nr Darlton airfield, Retford, Notts

AAIB Synopsis: Following the successful tow and release of a glider at 3,000 ft, the accident aircraft G-CIEF began a descent to return to the departure airfield. The initial descent, during which the aircraft was in a right turn, appeared normal and consistent with previous flights.  However, passing through 1,000 ft, the aircraft entered a left turn away from the final approach path for the airfield. The aircraft remained in a descending left turn until it struck a field approximately 1 nm from the airfield. The pilot was fatally injured.  There was no evidence of a technical malfunction. Although the post-mortem report did not indicate that a medical event had occurred, on consideration of all the evidence available, including the pilot’s previous medical history, the investigation determined that the pilot may have experienced a partial or full medical incapacitation which rendered him incapable of controlling the aircraft.  The 75 year old pilot had flown 719hrs.  (AAIB Bulletin 1/2025?)

17th July:

Cessna 210M:  G-TOTN:    Bradda Head, nr Port Erin, Isle of Man
AAIB Report:  At 11.31 hrs on 17 July 2023, the pilot took off in G-TOTN from Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man. The aircraft was later observed to enter a turn to the left before the wings levelled and the aircraft descended to strike the cliff at Bradda Head. The pilot did not survive. The investigation found no evidence of any technical faults that would have prevented the pilot from manoeuvring to avoid the cliff, and it is likely that the accident was a deliberate act. The pilot had been suffering from difficulties with sleep for a number of months and with anxiety in the weeks preceding the flight.  During the flight the pilot had made several phone calls to a family member which indicated that he did not intend to return from the flight .
Medical:  The pilot had been suffering from difficulties first with sleeping and then with anxiety in the lead up to the flight. He had been seen by his GP who had prescribed drugs to try and alleviate the symptoms.  He had not declared either his difficulties or his prescribed drugs to his Aeromedical Examiner (AME) who had last renewed his Class 2 flying medical in January 2023.  As the AME was not the pilot’s GP there was no entitlement to see the full medical records. Instead, pilots are required to disclose any injury, illness or prescription that might affect their fitness to fly to their AME, who can then decide on the continued validity of the medical certificate. Had the AME been informed of the diagnosis and prescriptions given to the pilot, the medical certificate would have been suspended.: The 64 year old pilot had flown about 2,000hrs with approx. 1,600 on type.  (AAIB Bulletin 1/2004).

6th July:
Piper PA-23 Aztec E: G-BKJW: Nr Bagby, Hambleton, North Yorkshire
The aircraft en-route from Dowth Hall strip crashed on the approach to Bagby aerodrome killing the sole occupant pilot. (Source: ASN & media).

Microlights
4th June: 

EV-97 team Eurostar:  G-IFLE:   Otherton Airfield, Staffs
AAIB Synopsis:
The pilot intended to fly to another airfield 37 nm south of Otherton Airfield where the aircraft was based. The aircraft was climbing into the overhead while flying along the downwind leg. When at a height of about 740 ft agl, it started to descend and appeared to be returning to land. The base leg was flown relatively close to the airfield and during the turn onto the final approach the aircraft entered a spin from which it did not recover before striking the ground (killing both occupants). The investigation was unable to establish why the aircraft descended and appeared to return to the airfield. However, the relatively high bank angle, decaying speed and retracted flaps would have provided the conditions for an entry to the spin. Guidance for pilots on stall and spin awareness can be found in CAA Safety Sense Leaflet 30.  The 56 year old pilot had 134 all on type.  (AAIB Bulletin 2/24)

Hot Air Balloons

25th June: 

Amateur Built DB-6R Balloon:  G-CMFS:   Ombersley Court, Worces.

AAIB Synopsis:
The pilot was taking part in a balloon competition. One part of the competition involved dropping a marker as close as possible to a target location. The accident occurred whilst the balloon was climbing rapidly away from this target. The balloon envelope collapsed, and the basket descended to the ground, fatally injuring the pilot.

The investigation found the balloon was likely to have suffered a parachute stall. The balloon design, the weather conditions, and the rapid climb are all likely to have contributed to the accident.

Three Safety Recommendations are made to the British Ballooning and Airship Club (BBAC) to: develop an effective reporting culture within the ballooning community; issue guidance on the prevention and recovery from unsafe conditions such as parachute stalls; and issue guidance regarding jettisoning of fuel tanks during an emergency.

Two Safety Recommendations are made to the CAA to: publish guidance on the design, testing and inspection of amateur balloons insofar as these activities relate to unsafe conditions such as parachute stalls; and publish guidance related to the oversight of competition balloon flying.

The 25 year old commercial pilot had 569 hours with 33 on type.  (AAIB Bulletin 7/2024).

Gliders

9th September:
Schempp Hitth Discus 2B:   G-TOOB:    Santa Cilia de Jaca Aerodrome, Huesca, Spain
Summary:
The pilot took off from runway 27 R at Santa Cilia de Jaca Aerodrome - LECI (Huesca) on 9 September 2023 at 15:06 h to conduct a local flight.  During the landing manoeuvre on runway 27 L, it touched down abruptly on the last third of the paved runway and then climbed, overshot the end, and crashed into a wooded area in the runway extension.  The pilot was fatally injured in the impact, and the aircraft was destroyed.  The investigation has determined that the accident resulted from the pilot's decision to fly with a pre-existing physical incapacity to operate the aircraft controls normally, which, in turn, led to an incorrect execution of the approach and landing manoeuvre and the subsequent abnormal touchdown and runway excursion.  Given the pilot's obvious physical incapacity, an inadequate safety culture among the people who assisted him at the start of the flight is considered as a contributing factor.  The following recommendation has been issued: REC. 17/24 -  It is recommended that FLY PYR develop a safety culture procedure to be observed by personnel operating at Santa Cilia Aerodrome.  The pilot aged 75 had flown 3,742 hrs. (Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission Technical Report A-025/2023).

17th August:
Ventus-2GT: G-KADS & E1 Antares G-CLXG:  Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
AAIB Synopsis:
During a gliding competition flight, both gliders entered a thermal just to the south of Melton Mowbray at a similar height. Although the gliders were initially on opposite sides of the thermal, changes in the angle of bank of both gliders brought their flight paths into conflict and they collided.  The pilot of G-CLXG was able to land the glider safely and was uninjured but the tail of G-KADS was severed in the collision and the glider descended out of control. The pilot was fatally injured.  The British Gliding Association (BGA) took action to raise awareness regarding the increased risk of midair collisions in gliding competitions.  The Ventus pilot aged 67 had 2,760 hours with 458 on type and the 78 year old Antares pilot had approx. 2,500 with 188 on type  (AAIB Bulletin 3/2024).  (Ed. Note: The Antares is a self-launching motor glider whilst the Ventus has an electrical power unit).

16th August:
Schleicher ASW24:     G-CHBB:   Dunstable Airfield, Beds

AAIB Synopsis
The accident occurred during an aerotow launch from Dunstable Airfield. Eyewitnesses reported that, at an early stage in the launch, the glider’s vertical positioning behind the tug was unstable. While the pilot appeared to regain some control over the instability, shortly after the towing aircraft lifted off, witnesses noticed the tow rope had become detached from the glider, which was below 50 ft agl at the time. Despite the lack of traction from the towing aircraft, the glider continued to climb to between 50 and 100 ft agl before it entered a steep left turn with low and reducing airspeed. Shortly after entering the turn the glider yawed left and autorotated into an incipient spin before striking the ground nose first. Witnesses on the airfield arrived at the glider within 80 seconds of the accident but nothing could be done to save the pilot who had suffered fatal injuries during the accident sequence.
The investigation did not identify any mechanical issues with the tow release or other defects which could have led to an uncommanded release of the tow cable or adversely affected the controllability of the glider.
The investigation could not conclusively determine why or how the tow rope came to be released from the glider at an early stage in the takeoff. With the glider no longer connected to the towing aircraft, the accident pilot found himself in a challenging position, possibly suffering from the negative performance shaping effects of startle and/or surprise. With little height or speed available to him he needed to quickly decide on an appropriate course of action. That he decided to turnback toward the airfield indicates he did not consider landing ahead was a viable option. Tragically, at the height and speed he found himself, turning back proved unachievable. This accident serves to highlight how challenging it is to make effective decisions when something goes wrong unexpectedly at a critical stage of flight. While pilots may verbalise their intentions as part of an eventualities brief, being able to enact the plan when startled, surprised and under extreme pressure, is not necessarily assured.

The 47 year old pilot had 131 hours with 26 on type (AAIB Bulletin 7/2024} 

 



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