Sheared by a sheep


EUROFOX 912(1) FARM STRIP, HARINGE COURT, EAST OF ASHFORD, KENT 16 SEPTEMBER 2017


Sheep were on this farm landing strip around two thirds along its length, however the pilot continued with the landing because they were moving away from the engine noise, and the first part of the runway was clear. As the Eurofox touched down a sheep ran


on to the runway so the pilot went around, but as the aircraft lifted off its left wheel struck the animal. The left gear leg sheared off and the pilot said that onlookers could see the leg and wheel hanging from the brake hose. The pilot completed the circuit and, on


landing, the aircraft slewed to the left, hit a fence and came to rest. The landing gear and left wing were damaged and there was minor damage to the spinner, cowlings and propeller. The pilot said that sheep normally ran away from the aircraft noise and in future he’d be prepared for the unexpected.


The latch catch


AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC120B COLIBRI WELLESBOURNE, WARWICKSHIRE 17 AUGUST 2017


Why two pairs of glasses?


LIBERTY XL-2 5 MILES WEST OF LONDON BIGGIN HILL AIRPORT 10 JANUARY 2018


As the pilot levelled off after climbing to his cruise altitude, he noticed a vibration getting louder. The left door then opened suddenly and the slipstream tore off his headset and glasses. He put on his spare glasses quickly


and tried to reach his spare headset and handheld transceiver, but was unable to. Realising that flying the aircraft was the greatest priority he concentrated on that before selecting 7700 on the


Running on empty


BULLDOG SERIES 120 MODEL 1210 EMBELTON, NORTHUMBERLAND 24 SEPTEMBER 2017


The right engine cowling opened and struck the main rotor blades as the helicopter flared to land. The pilot didn’t complete a walkaround inspection before the flight, which should have identified three unlocked latches. The fact that he left the helicopter for a short period before take-off, coupled with the recent completion of routine maintenance, probably introduced sufficient interruption and distraction to his normal pre-flight routine to cause him to forget to carry out a pre-flight walkaround.


The Bulldog had been in for a prolonged period of engine maintenance, so the pilot took it on a test flight. He visually confirmed sufficient fuel for two hours and 45 minutes, but having been airborne for approximately 1hr 35min the engine lost power and could not be restarted. The pilot checked that all of the engine


controls, fuel and ignition selections were correct and noted that each fuel tank indicated 1/3 full. He was uninjured during the subsequent forced landing, but the Bulldog’s nose landing gear, engine and propeller were damaged. The engineering organisation that


recovered the aircraft confirmed that the fuel tanks had run dry. The pilot considered that as the flight involved running-in the engine at various power settings and durations, the fuel had been used more quickly than he had calculated. The Bulldog was not fitted with a fuel


flow meter and CAP1535, The Skyway Code, details the importance of a good working knowledge of an aircraft’s fuel burn at different power settings, as well as warning that fuel gauges in most types of GA aircraft are not very accurate and should not be considered a reliable indicator of fuel level.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON INCIDENT REPORTS, VISIT AAIB.GOV.UK Summer 2018 CLUED UP 41


transponder and returning to Biggin Hill. A section of the door had detached


after the door opened and the remains of the door were found (with no reports of injuries or damage to property). The pilot was behind schedule although he didn’t feel rushed, but was unable to say categorically that he had checked the left door’s security before to take-off and considered that it had not been fully latched. This incident highlights the


importance of ensuring that spare glasses are within reach and concentrating on flying the aircraft following an unexpected event.


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