Independent report

AAIB Record-only investigations reviewed: July - August 2023

Published 12 October 2023

This section provides details of accidents and incidents which were not subject to a Field or full Correspondence Investigation. They are wholly, or largely, based on information provided by the aircraft commander at the time of reporting and in some cases additional information from other sources. The accuracy of the information provided cannot be assured.

Event Date	Aircraft Type	Registration	Location Name	Record Only Occurrence Text
15 February 2023	Pioneer 400	G-CPPG	Blackbushe Airport, Surrey	During the landing roll the left main gear collapsed. The left wing struck the ground and the aircraft veered off the runway, striking a runway light before stopping. The left main landing gear actuator attachment had failed in overload, likely because of high side loads during the crosswind landing.
18 May 2023	Piper PA-32-300	G-PECK	Bodmin Airfield, Cornwall	Shortly after takeoff the top engine cowling detached, striking, and damaging the windscreens. The pilot decided to continue the short flight to aircraft’s home base where it landed without incident. The aircraft had undergone minor maintenance at Bodmin during which the top engine cowling had been removed and refitted. The damaged cowling was recovered from a field. It was reported that it had several previous repairs including to the forward locating pins. The most probable reason for the cowling loss is though to be inadequate engagement of the locating pins.
13 June 2023	Renegade Spirit UK (Modified)	G-MWNF	Near Porthcawl, Bridgend County	While flying close to shore, the engine stopped without warning and the pilot ditched the aircraft in the sea. The aircraft flipped over but the pilot was able to exit the aircraft unassisted and swim ashore. The aircraft was destroyed and the cause of the engine stoppage was not determined.
14 June 2023	AS355F2	G-NBPL	Near Shenley, Hertfordshire	Prior to flight the pilot carried out a Check A. After completing the check the pilot completed the tech log before starting the helicopter and taking off. At approximately1,000 ft the pilot became aware that the right gearbox cowling was open. The pilot identified a landing site and descended. During the descent the cowling struck the main rotor releasing a section of the cowling. The helicopter landed without further incident. The pilot confirmed that the cowling have been left held open by a maintenance stay after completion of the Check A due to becoming distracted from their normal procedure by completion of the tech log.
15 June 2023	Kiss 400-582(1)	G-SNOG	Deenethorpe Airfield, Corby	As the flexwing microlight climbed through approximately 35 ft from RWY 04 at Deenethorpe airfield, the aircraft descended rapidly. The pilot was unable to stop the descent; it struck the runway and the landing gear collapsed. It then veered off the runway into a crop field. Both occupants sustained minor injuries during the accident, but the aircraft was damaged beyond economical repair
18 June 2023	Europa	G-BWFH	Monewden Airfield, Suffolk	The pilot made an approach to Runway 13 at Monewden Airfield but when the aircraft touched down he considered that the landing was long and applied full power to go around. The aircraft struck the boundary hedge and entered the field beyond the runway where it nosed over and came to rest inverted around 50 m from the end of the runway. Both the pilot and passenger were able to exit the aircraft without injury.
18 June 2023	Casa 1-131-E3B	G-BSAJ	Duxford Airfield, Cambridge	Towards the end of the landing roll the aircraft yawed uncontrollably to the left due to a lack of tail wheel steering, which had operated satisfactorily during taxi and takeoff. The right wing and right landing gear were damaged. Subsequent inspection revealed that there were ridges and burrs in the pilot-selectable tail wheel steering mechanism and application of a force, such as a load encountered during landing, could cause the mechanism to disengage resulting in the tail wheel castoring instead of steering. A regular operational check of the tail wheel steering system could help prevent a recurrence. The LAA are aware and plan to feature this in the ‘Engineering Matters’ section of their magazine.
25 June 2023	Rotorway Executive 162F	G-CDBK	Broom, Bedfordshire	With the helicopter running low on fuel and the nearest airfield, Duxford, very busy with airshow traffic, the pilot elected to divert to Old Warden rather than declare a fuel emergency. Three miles out the helicopter ran out of fuel and made a forced landing. There were no injuries and the helicopter suffered minor structural damage.
01 July 2023	Pegasus Quantum 15	G-MYYB	Sandy Airfield, Bedfordshire	While landing in a wind reported as being strong, the aircraft tipped forward onto its nose and left wing leading edge.
01 July 2023	X’air Falcon Jabiru(3)	G-CDDH	Rhos Uchaf Airfield, Gwynedd	The aircraft stalled shortly after takeoff at approximately 50 ft and struck bushes at the side of the grass strip runway. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. It is likely that taking off with full flap set had an effect on the aircraft’s ability to climb and accelerate.
08 July 2023	X’air Falcon D(1)	G-TBYD	Felthorpe Airfield, Norfolk	After experiencing sink on short finals at Cromer Airfield, G-TBYD suffered a heavy landing and bounced back into the air, so the pilot performed a go-around. He then discovered the main undercarriage on the passenger’s side had been damaged during the aborted landing. The aircraft appeared otherwise undamaged, so the pilot elected to return to the familiar environment of his home airfield at Felthorpe before landing. After touchdown the right main wheel detached, the left undercarriage collapsed, and the aircraft came to rest on its belly.
17 July 2023	Jabiru J430	G-PHYZ	Wolverhampton Airport	The pilot elected to return to the airfield following a single misfire with the engine when the engine abruptly stopped. He was unable to glide back to the airfield and landed in a grass field, during which the nose landing gear leg detached causing damage to the engine, propeller and left landing gear leg. The pilot’s smartwatch automatically alerted the emergency services to the accident location.
18 July 2023	Europa XS	G-CFKZ	East Winch Airfield, Norfolk	The pilot was unable to stop the aircraft while landing in light rain on a slippery grass surface. The aircraft veered off the runway and hit a boundary hedge, causing substantial damage but no injuries.
19 July 2023	Pietenpol Air Camper	G-BRXY	Popham Airfield, Winchester	The aircraft bounced on landing and the landing gear collapsed on subsequent touchdown. The pilot reported that the approach was made 5 kt above the normal speed because the wind was gusting and changing direction, and that having flared high the aircraft descended suddenly.
20 July 2023	Steen Skybolt	G-RODC	North Coates Airfield, Lincolnshire	The aircraft landed heavily and the landing gear collapsed.
04 August 2023	Pipersport	G-MRVK	Clipgate Airstrip, Kent	After a return flight from Lydd Airport to Clipgate Airfield, G-MRVK touched down at 55 kt from a “normal approach.” The pilot applied full braking, but the aircraft did not decelerate as expected. With insufficient distance remaining for a safe go-around, the pilot continued braking and the aircraft came to rest in shrubs at the end of the runway. The pilot ascribed the lack of braking action to an unexpectedly wet runway. When the pilot departed Clipgate earlier that day, the grass had been dry and he was unaware that heavy showers had affected the airfield during the day.
07 August 2023	Piper PA-28R-200-2	G-BBDE	Enstone Airfield, Oxfordshire	At approx 3,000 ft in the climb after takeoff, the nose cowling opened and began flapping in the airflow. The pilot returned to the departure airfield but omitted to lower the landing gear before the aircraft touched down on the runway. The pilot considered that he had been distracted by the loose cowling and that this contributed to him not lowering the landing gear.
07 August 2023	Vans RV-7	G-KELS	Tonbridge, Kent	The pilot lost control during a takeoff on a grass runway, the nose tipped forward onto the ground, and the aircraft skidded off the runway and came to halt in a ditch.
10 August 2023	Pegasus Quik	G-CEDN	Watnall Airfield, Nottinghamshire	After touchdown the pilot applied power to carry out a go-around but the aircraft stalled and the right wing dropped, striking the windsock pole. The aircraft landed in an adjacent crop field where the wing dug into the ground tipping the aircraft over.
13 August 2023	Vans RV-6A	G-RVCE	Rendcomb airfield, Gloucestershire	During the rollout after a normal touchdown the aircraft bounced and landed on the nosewheel. The nosewheel dug into the grass runway causing the aircraft to pitch onto its nose and become inverted.
16 August 2023	Aeroprakt A32 Vixxen	G-GBUA	Eddsfield Airfield, East Yorkshire	Following an unexpected loss of lift just before touchdown, the aircraft landed heavily and the nose gear collapsed.
19 August 2023	Cessna T210N	G-BSGT	London Biggin Hill Airport	The pilot realised that the landing gear was not down when the lower fuselage struck the runway during landing. He lifted off, put the landing gear down and then landed back on the runway.
23 August 2023	DH82A Tiger Moth	G-ANKZ	Norton St Philip, Avon	The aircraft struck power lines on approach to Runway 33 at Brown Shutter Farm, decelerating rapidly and landing inverted. The short grass airfield is described in its own literature as challenging and has a displaced threshold to account for the wires. The pilot reflected that he did not positively identify the wires early enough. He reported that, to compensate for a possible tailwind, he used an aiming point before the displaced threshold markers to maximise the landing distance available, and that he allowed the aircraft to become too low on its approach .
25 August 2023	Cirrus SR-22T	N225RB	Bagby Airfield, North Yorkshire	The aircraft floated during the landing and, after touchdown, ran into the field beyond the end of the runway. The nose landing gear collapsed.
28 August 2023	Skyranger 912S(1)	G-JEZZ	Lempitlaw Airfield, Scottish Borders	The aircraft bounced on landing and, on touchdown, the nose landing gear caught in the ground and the aircraft turned onto its back.