Independent report

AAIB Record-only investigations reviewed: September - October 2024

Published 12 December 2024

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
30 Jan 2024	MW6-S (Modified SS)	G-MZHG	Kernan Airfield, County Armagh	As the pilot came into land, he elected to go-around. He increased engine power after which the engine failed and the aircraft struck trees to the north-east. The pilot sustained minor injuries; the aircraft was severely damaged.
12 Jun 2024	Cirrus SR22T	G-GWOW	Gloucestershire Airport	The aircraft was being collected by its owner to be flown back to Turweston from Gloucester. During the takeoff run, at approximately 65 kt, the aircraft rapidly slewed to the left which the pilot was unable to correct. It then ran off the runway into the grass where the pilot brought the aircraft to a stop. Whilst transiting the grass near the edge of the runway, the aircraft struck an airfield sign which resulted in damage to the aircraft wing.
21 Jun 2024	Sherwood Ranger XP	G-SWAB	Near Norwich Airport	The aircraft experienced a loss of engine power approximately 3 nm from Norwich Airport so the pilot executed a forced landing in a nearby field.  During the subsequent ground roll the aircraft tipped over, coming to rest inverted.
25 Jun 2024	Eurofox 2K	G-CMOT	Chilbolton Airfield, Hampshire	The aircraft drifted to the right and failed to climb during takeoff, resulting in the aircraft striking the ground to the right of the runway. The cause of the loss of climb performance was not established.
30 Jun 2024	Jodel D18	G-BUPR	Heveningham Hall, Suffolk	The pilot recalled that the approach appeared normal until he encountered some “windshear” associated with some trees. The wing dropped and struck the ground and the aircraft came to rest inverted.
17 Jul 2024	Piper PA-12	G-AWPW	Wadswick Airstrip, Wiltshire	The aircraft drifted to the right during a crosswind landing, and the right wing struts contacted long grass to the side of the runway. The aircraft slewed to the right, decelerated rapidly, and nosed over. The pilot recognises that forward visibility whilst in the three-point attitude and flare is restricted by the cowling and engine, and that he had not realised how close he had become to the edge of the runway.
17 Jul 2024	Luscombe 8A	G-BRJA	Bodmin Airfield, Cornwall	En route to Bodmin the aircraft suffered a temporary loss of radio. Regaining contact 4 nm out the pilot set up for a crosswind join for Runway 31. Bodmin Radio informed the pilot that the wind was “all over the place” and with no other traffic Runway 13 might be a better option. The pilot misunderstood this information and made an approach for Runway 21. He was also momentarily distracted by another aircraft holding to the left of the runway, and subsequently misjudged the approach, touching down too fast. The aircraft bounced, veered off into long grass to the side of the runway and tipped over.
17 Jul 2024	Plumb BGP-1A	G-FUNN	Near Woodchurch, Kent	The aircraft was being flown on a permit renewal test flight, with no defects noted prior to takeoff. Shortly after becoming airborne the aircraft yawed to the right, requiring the pilot to apply full left rudder to fly straight. The pilot continued to apply full power and the aircraft climbed slowly to 500 ft agl, at which point the engine failed. The pilot felt the aircraft stall, so pushed the stick forward to regain best glide speed and picked a grass field to land in but during the ground roll the left mainwheel caught in a rut, causing the aircraft to groundloop. The pilot stated that the cause of the right yaw and engine failure were not identified.
19 Jul 2024	Robinson R22 Beta	G-CDBG	Enniskillen Airport, County Fermanagh	A student pilot was practising an engine failure in the hover and, after a short countdown, the instructor slowly closed the throttle. The student raised the collective lever, which caused a drop in the rotor rpm, and the helicopter settled onto the ground while drifting to the left. The helicopter rolled left around the skid and came to rest on its side. The student climbed out of the helicopter through the right door, followed by the instructor.
12 Aug 2024	Cirrus SR22 G6	N70DE	Elmsett Airfield, Suffolk	After an uneventful approach and landing on grass Runway 23 at Elmsett Airfield, the aircraft became momentarily airborne after hitting a bump in the runway. As the remaining runway was downhill, and it was too late to conduct a baulked landing, the aircraft overran the end of the runway into a field at about 20 kt.
16 Aug 2024	Piper PA-18-150	G-OFER	Near Bicester, Oxfordshire	The pilot reported that the engine lost power and, being unable to rectify the situation, he decided to land in a field of wheat. The landing gear caught the top of the crop and the aircraft came to rest inverted. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft without assistance.
26 Aug 2024	Clipper-100	G-CHJJ	Old Park Farm Airfield (Margam), Neath Port Talbot	In a south-westerly wind of 9-15 kt, the aircraft touched down heavily on the left mainwheel on grass Runway 36 and the pilot executed a go-around. He was advised, by radio, that the left gear was damaged and so flew two practice approaches to Runway 30 before a final approach to land. With 50% flap set, upon reducing engine power to idle, the nose dropped, and the aircraft struck a hedge short of the threshold before sliding onto the airfield perimeter track. The pilot considered that the aircraft had been affected by wind effects in the lee of the trees during the original approach to Runway 36.
27 Aug 2024	Robinson R44 II	G-RMYD	Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent	Having flown a circuit accompanied by an instructor, the student pilot was cleared to fly his first solo circuit. The initial lift into the hover was normal, but the helicopter then yawed to the left which the student stated surprised him and he was slow in responding with corrective right pedal. The helicopter subsequently rolled to the right and the main rotors struck the ground with the helicopter coming to rest on its side.
30 Aug 2024	Quik GTR	G-CIHZ	Near Leyburn, North Yorkshire	The pilot diverted to a farm strip as one of the aircraft he was flying with needed to make a precautionary landing due to an engine issue. As the pilot attempted to flare for landing the aircraft pitched nose down and sank, striking the ground with its nose gear. The aircraft bounced before striking the ground a second time. It then pitched forward, severely damaging the wing as it struck the ground. The trike turned 180° and came to rest on its side facing the direction it had come from. The pilot commented that he only sustained minor injuries and felt this was a result of wearing his shoulder harness.
31 Aug 2024	Pierre Robin HR200/120B	G-CROI	Crowfield Airfield, Suffolk	As the aircraft touched down it bounced, and, rather than going around, the pilot continued with the landing. This resulted in the nosewheel hitting the ground first. The nose leg broke and caused the propeller to strike the ground and shock load the engine.
12 Sep 2024	Beagle B121 Series 2	G-AXPN	Lyde Court Airstrip, Herefordshire	During the takeoff run the passenger door opened. The pilot aborted the takeoff, but was unable to stop the aircraft before it overran the end of the grass strip and struck a hedge.
15 Sep 2024	Europa	G-ODJG	Mill House Farm Strip, South Lanarkshire	While landing at his own private grass airstrip, the pilot selected a deeper than normal aiming point. After the aircraft was flared it bounced before touching down. Because of trees at end of the runway a baulked landing was not an option. Braking was commenced almost halfway along the runway. However, the aircraft subsequently overran the runway at about 10 kt coming to rest in a ditch. The aircraft sustained damage to its nosewheel and lower engine cowling.
21 Sep 2024	Skyranger 912(2)	EI-ERL	High Halden, Kent	The pilot increased altitude to avoid some sheep that were on the runway. The aircraft subsequently struck a hedge at the end of the runway, and then flipped upside down.
28 Sep 2024	Cherry BX-2	G-BXUX	Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent	When the landing gear was lowered during the approach, the landing gear lights did not illuminate to indicate the landing gear was down and locked. The pilot recycled the landing gear and performed a go-around, during which all three gear were confirmed down from the ground. During the subsequent landing, the left landing gear retracted and the pilot maintained control on the remaining landing gear. Towards the end of the landing roll, the left wing dropped and touched the ground causing the aircraft to depart the runway at slow speed. After the accident, the pilot noted a sheared nose landing gear attachment bolt, which he considered may have affected the operation of the landing gear.
3 Oct 2024	Pegasus Quantum 15	G-MYZJ	Athey’s Moor Airfield, Northumberland	With the aircraft battery flat, the pilot decided to hand start the engine from outside the aircraft. The engine started but the aircraft accelerated away from the pilot and took off. It was subsequently tracked by radar as it flew over the coast north of Newcastle and flew out to sea. It was presumed to have subsequently crashed into the sea.
10 Oct 2024	Piper PA-28-161	G-BODE	Leicester Airport	The pilot was instructed to park on a stand but was not familiar with the airfield. Whilst trying to decide where best to park, the aircraft struck a fuel kiosk which damaged the wing.
11 Oct 2024	Robinson R44	G-HYND	Cotswold Airport, Gloucestershire	The aircraft was being flown by a student conducting his first solo flight. As the student raised the collective lever to take off the nose raised more than usual due the reduced crew complement, somewhat distracting the student. The helicopter was on soft ground and as the student continued to raise the collective it rolled rapidly to the right and the main rotors struck the ground.
17 Oct 2024	Aeroprakt A22-L Foxbat	G-EOID	Batchley Farm Airstrip, Hampshire	On approach to land on Runway 24, the pilot was dazzled by the sun making it difficult to see and the aircraft contacted a hedge. It spun round and came to rest in the hedge.