INCIDENT REPORTS IN BRIEF


RUNWAY EXCURSION Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior III Breighton Aerodrome North Yorkshire, 1 April, 2016


Following take-off from the grass runway, the pilot intended to make a touch-and-go before flying home to Kemble. The circuit was flown as normal, and after touchdown full power was applied. As the aircraft didn’t seem to accelerate the pilot closed the throttle and aborted the take-off; however he was unable to stop and overran the end of the runway. The Piper was severely damaged when it collided with a hedge. The pilot believes the lack of acceleration might have been due to a possible combination of soft grass and carburettor icing.


TOO MUCH RUDDER DA20-A1 Katana Redhill Aerodrome, Surrey 26 February 2016


The student pilot had landed and was in the process of taking off for another circuit. The instructor stated, “Full power, right rudder, I’ll do the flap”. As the student followed the instructions the Katana veered right off the runway. The wheels dug into the very soft muddy ground at the side of the runway instantly, bringing it to a sudden stop. The nose landing gear collapsed and the propeller hit the ground. The instructor later concluded that the student had applied excessive rudder and held it and the aircraft had reacted too quickly for the instructor to intervene and correct the rudder pedal input before the Katana left the narrow runway.


TAIL ROTOR STRIKE Robinson R22 Beta Retford Gamston Airport 25 February, 2016


The student pilot was preparing to lift off for a solo flight. Having completed the magneto checks, he increased the throttle but, as the governor engaged, the helicopter adopted a nose-high attitude and the tailskid and tail rotor struck the ground, crumpling


the former and destroying both tail rotor blades. The helicopter rotated around the rear of the skids clockwise at least once before the pilot settled it back down onto its skids and shut down. The pilot believes he had inadvertently held aft cyclic stick and some raised collective input as the governor cut in and increased power, causing the R22 to pitch up.


another airfield where landed successfully despite the nosegear collapsing shortly after touchdown. The maintenance company who maintained the aircraft believed there was some form of hydraulic lock in the retraction jack, but were unable to determine the cause.


MISSED THE RUNWAY CZAW SportCruiser Firs Farm, Newbury 13 April, 2016


ROTOR STRIKE Guimbal Cambri G2 Cotswold Airport 29 June 2016


The student was flying a downwind ‘quick-stop’ manoeuvre as part of dual training. The helicopter lost height suddenly during the turning manoeuvre and the instructor was unable to prevent the main rotor blades from hitting the ground.


BOGGED DOWN Stemme S10-V Lasham Airfield 2 April, 2016


The pilot had initially planned to take off on the asphalt Runway 09 but was asked to use the grass by the side of Runway 16. The aircraft was about to become airborne when the wheels hit a “boggy/very soft area of grass” causing a rapid deceleration and the aircraft to pitch down. The nose and propeller struck the ground. The pilot was not aware of the condition of the grass before take-off.


EMERGENCY LANDING Socata TB20 Trinidad GT Sleap Airfield 21 January, 2016


The pilot was unable to extend the nose landing gear fully during the approach, so he diverted to


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The pilot misidentified the runway and flew an approach to an adjacent, visually distinct but uncultivated strip of rough ground. He realised his mistake on touchdown, when the nose leg collapsed and the propeller struck the ground.


ENGINE FIRE ON START-UP Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior III Durham Tees Valley Airport 31 January, 2016


After start-up, flames were seen around the lower cowling. People alerted the pilot who shut down the engine and got out with the passenger. The fire was extinguished using a hand-held BCF extinguisher. Overpriming was thought to be the cause.


CAUGHT BY A GUST Pietenpol Air Camper Turweston Aerodrome 19 April, 2016


After an uneventful flight from Bicester, the Air Camper landed on Runway 27 at Turweston. A sudden gust from the right caused it to weathercock and the right wing to lift, turning it to the right, leaving the runway and imposing a lateral load on the left landing gear, which collapsed.


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