Independent report

AAIB Record-only investigations reviewed: September - October 2023

Published 14 December 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
04 March 2023	Piper PA-38-112	G-OFFS	Hawarden Airport, Flintshire	The student pilot with the aircraft at the refuelling point point stated that the aircraft’s flaps and engine were affected by downdraft from a helicopter hover taxiing on an adjacent taxiway. A subsequent engineering inspection found no damage to the aircraft, which was returned to service.
28 May 2023	Cessna 175B (modified)	G-ARMN	Near Aldermaston, Berkshire	Having successfully completed power checks, the aircraft took off and at approximately 250 ft there was a loud bang. The engine had lost power and the pilot made a forced landing in a muddy field. After a ground roll of about 30 m the nosewheel dug in and became detached. The engine was 21 years old and maintained on-condition having gone beyond the manufacturer’s 12 years service life check. The failure was subsequently attributed to a failure of one of the cylinder head spark plug threads which caused the spark plug and heli-coil to be ejected from the engine, and on further inspection one of the remaining cylinders was found to have low compression.
31 May 2023	Piper PA-28-181	G-BPXA	Netherthorpe Airfield, Nottinghamshire	During approach to grass Runway 06 at Netherthorpe, a change in wind resulted in the aircraft’s wheels touching a hedge near the threshold. The wheel spats, nose landing gear, flaps, propeller and tailplane were damaged but the pilot was able to taxi the aircraft.
04 July 2023	Piper PA-23-250	N15YP	Clayton J Lloyd International Airport, Anguilla	During the normal procedure to lower the landing gear for landing, the nose gear did not extend. After several attempts to extend it and flying by the control tower to obtain confirmation, the pilot observed 3 green lights and proceeded to land. The nose landing gear collapsed on landing. The cause was not established.
16 July 2023	Rotorsport UK MT-03	G-CEYR	Eaglescott Airfield, Devon	The student pilot had just touched the gyroplane down after some solo circuits; the wind was reported as 12 kt on the runway heading but varying slightly from left to right. After touchdown, the pilot moved the stick forward and slightly left (into wind) while the rotors were still turning but the gyroplane “felt out of control” and rolled over onto its side. The pilot stated that the accident would have been avoided if the stick had been held back until the rotors had stopped and then pushed forward.
19 July 2023	Team Minimax 91	G-BYFV	Hughley Airfield, Shropshire	The Single Seat De-Regulated (SSDR) aircraft suffered an engine failure shortly after takeoff. During the forced landing, the wingtip struck a tree and the aircraft landed heavily. The pilot escaped unaided but sustained minor injuries; the aircraft was destroyed by the post-accident fire. Later examination by the owner revealed the engine’s rear crankshaft bearing had failed. The pilot suggested that pilots practise rapid evacuation from the cockpit and consider wearing fireproof clothing.
20 July 2023	Casa 1-131E Series 1000 Jungmann	G-BHPL	Henstridge Airfield, Somerset	On takeoff from Runway 24 at Henstridge the engine ‘coughed’ at about 100 ft then stopped, and the pilot considered options for a forced landing. The aircraft hit trees at the edge of the airfield and came to rest inverted with substantial damage. The pilot was not injured. The pilot did not identify a cause of the engine failure.
10 August 2023	Fournier RF6B-100	G-BKIF	Near Gloucester	The aircraft was approaching Gloucestershire Airport and descending at low power with the carburettor heat set to OFF. The engine began to run roughly and the pilot selected carburettor heat ON, but the engine then stopped. The pilot manoeuvred the aircraft to glide toward the airfield but, on short final and concerned the aircraft would not clear trees short of the runway, the pilot made a right turn and landed on the central reservation of the A40 dual carriageway. The cause of the engine failure was not positively determined. The aircraft was damaged beyond economic repair.
03 September 2023	Vans RV-6A	G-RUSL	Westonzoyland Airfield, Somerset	The aircraft touched down heavily, then bounced which possibly damaged the nosewheel. As the aircraft rolled out, the nosewheel dug into the grass runway causing the aircraft to pitch onto its nose and become inverted.
04 September 2023	Piper PA-28-161	G-XENA	Alderney Airport, Guernsey	On departure, a pilot from another aircraft reported that one of the red threshold light units had fallen over. It was later established that the previous aircraft, G-XENA, approached very low and hit the light. The pilot of G-XENA commented that the aircraft descended unexpectedly on short final.
06 September 2023	Piper PA-28-161	G-BFDK	Compton Abbas Airfield, Dorset	Whilst taxiing to park after landing, the left wing struck a fence causing damage to its tip and leading edge. The pilot was concentrating on manoeuvring past a line of parked aircraft to the right, and insufficient attention was given to avoiding the fence to the left.
06 September 2023	Piper PA-28-181	G-BGWM	Solent Airport Daedalus, Hampshire	The aircraft was taxiing from a grass parking area for departure and its left wingtip collided with the propeller of a parked aircraft. The plastic wingtip of the taxiing aircraft was destroyed and the parked aircraft required inspection before further flight. The pilot attributed the collision to ‘a momentary lapse of concentration.’
09 September 2023	Vans RV-4	G-INTS	Lydd Airport, Kent	After landing, the right main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft had ground-looped on its previous landing and it was possible that this damaged the landing gear making it more likely that it would collapse.
13 September 2023	Piper PA-28-161	G-BMKR	Leeds East Airport	The aircraft touched down normally but, as the student pilot applied the brakes, it veered off the runway and onto the grass. As the aircraft came to a halt, the nose landing gear collapsed.
14 September 2023	Cessna A152	G-BOSO	Redhill Aerodrome, Surrey	The pilot made a normal approach but the sun was in his eyes, impairing his vision, and the aircraft bounced on touchdown. He initially pulled back on the control column but then pitched the aircraft nose down to improve his view, and the aircraft struck the ground and turned over. The pilot vacated the aircraft without assistance and sustained only minor injuries. He subsequently observed that a go-around would have been a better response to the initial bounce.
18 September 2023	Rotorsport UK Calidus	G-GRYN	Kiltinney Airfield, County Londonderry	During takeoff from a narrow runway with a crosswind the aircraft departed the runway. The pilot aborted the takeoff, the right mainwheel settled in boggy ground and the aircraft toppled over onto its right side.
25 September 2023	Piper PA-28-140	G-OFTI	St Athan Airfield, Vale of Glamorgan	The aircraft landed heavily, the nose landing leg failed and the propellers struck the runway surface.
30 September 2023	Piper PA-15 (modified)	G-ASHU	Popham Airfield, Hampshire	The aircraft’s engine lost power after lift-off following a touch-and-go landing. The pilot lowered the nose to land ahead on the remaining runway, but the aircraft suffered a hard touchdown and ran off the side of the runway, and the landing gear collapsed.
09 October 2023	Cessna 170B	N2366D	Duxford Airfield, Cambridgeshire	During the rollout after landing, the aircraft hit a bump and started to drift to the right. The left gear and spat dug into soft ground and the aircraft ground looped. A subsequent inspection revealed that the airframe structure had slight deformation.
15 October 2023	Aeroprakt A22 Foxbat	G-CHAD	Park Hall Airfield, Derbyshire	The aircraft landed heavily in gusty conditions which resulted in a bent nose landing gear leg.